getting in shape for 2023 sway after 4 girls

[LMSM]

Hi again,

I’m back (again,… again) :P
I probably sound like a broken record now, so sorry in advance! Here to get myself ready for a last try at getting our (elusive) son after now 4 daughters.

My first two daughters were conceived after a long time TTC, with the help of Clomid (and other things). No sway as such.
#3 was a HE sway – obviously didn’t work…and #4 was an unplanned bub so no sway though in practice, I had started gearing up to sway a few months later (still didn’t work though).
I never thought I’d be looking at having 5 kids – but the yearning for a son is just too strong! So I want to get myself in the best possible place to have that final babe – though I don’t think we could realistically TTC until mid to late 2023.
I am still considering GS IVF options but my husband will be really difficult to get on board; when we found out # 4 was another girl, he did voice he would have agreed to it with #3 (now you tell me!!! Grrr) had he known how deeply it affected me (I was crying non-stop for days and was adamant the only solution was abortion). Of course, and though now I have her here & I absolutely adore her (she is a ray of sunshine that girl!) I do know I could not go through that again (#3 was hard but knew there’d be a #4 – by #4, and a surprise pregnancy at that – I was in a BAD place mentally).
He truly doesn’t (never has) cared about gender as long as our babies were healthy – yes, there is a lot of girl drama in our house (and they’ve not hit teen years yet – yikes) and it frustrates him (probably me even more ha - how I ended up being a girl mum eludes me still to this day) …but I honestly don’t think he feels like we “need” a boy (but I do, oh I definitely do, to my core).
So I want to ensure I do ALL I can to sway my body into boy territory, whether we end up conceiving via IVF or naturally!
That being said, if I could, I would love to do IVF, and do PGD/GS testing & freeze my boy embryos for later transfer (just changing jobs so I cannot be pregnant for at least a year) but given my age (over 37 now), I feel like I’d have better outcomes if I did a retrieval sooner rather than later even if we only did the transfer 12+m from now.
Overall…
I think I need sleep, I need muscle, I need nutrients LOL

Right now, DD4 is 14 m.o, still nursing especially at night (she has been teething like crazy for 6 months, popping 2-4 teeth at a time (1st canine is coming so the 3 others are likely to follow – which means she’d only have the 2y.o molars left to go – and hopefully = break in teething for a little while, YAY!) and bedshares because it is just so much easier for me) – so no period back for me either.
I have had gaps getting longer and longer between babies (26months then 30 then 36) and still got girls even though I gave my body more time to recover, to have more cycles (& allow them to regulate as much as possible).
I feel like nursing (or at least pumping so she can keep the benefits while maybe being less glued to me and so I maybe can get more sleep and be better rested) so my cycles are delayed a bit longer, so I can TTC not long after ending all nursing/pumping and return of cycles may help??
I tend to get really antsy and massive nursing aversions come 17ish months – which is when my last two girls were weaned off completely – so hoping doing less direct feeds and some pumped milk partially at least at night would help while delaying those cycles a bit longer (and in the meantime, allowing me to get in shape, less tired, etc etc).
The logic between trying for a shorter time between return of cycles (but getting cycles back later & giving baby more time nursing directly or not) and TTC is that it seems lots of boy mums because they are so fertile do tend to conceive boys soon after their PP cycles return. I’ve always had 6m+ post 1st PP period and TTC/ pregnancy (bar my miscarriage between DD1/2 where I got pregnant on my second cycle PP and I am sure it was a boy).
This is the longest I have ever gone PP with still no period!

Anyhoo - ramblings of an extremely sleep deprived mama reaching out to hear from fellow blue swayers possibly in the same or similar boat or boy mumas ( or girl mums that got boys after too) wanting to share their tried and tested blue tips! Will be grateful for any blue dust and advice :)

[polaris.kai]

I was wondering if you'd be back [emoji3059] I followed your last pregnancy in the due date months!

No advice as I'm a girl producer as well. Swaying for baby 4 right now. It sounds like we have similar situations with all girls and husband's that don't care either way [emoji23]

Sounds like you're doing everything right and you waiting longer to try again is great [emoji106]

[emoji170][emoji170][emoji170][emoji170][emoji170]

[9jamama01]

"Girl Producer" [emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787] Polaris that has to be the funniest thing I've heard all day. I'm sure Atomic has disproved that already, we all can have either gender.

Good luck LMSM and Polaris with your sway. I've been Swaying blue for about a year now but no bfp yet. I'm on a break at the moment and I'll resume my attempts in June.

Best of luck ladies.

Sent from my SM-A225F using Tapatalk

[polaris.kai]

"Girl Producer" [emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787] Polaris that has to be the funniest thing I've heard all day. I'm sure Atomic has disproved that already, we all can have either gender.

Good luck LMSM and Polaris with your sway. I've been Swaying blue for about a year now but no bfp yet. I'm on a break at the moment and I'll resume my attempts in June.

Best of luck ladies.

Sent from my SM-A225F using TapatalkShe has [emoji23] she's been very kind by sharing articles and words of encouragement when I start to despair.

[Thefinalcountdown]

Hi! Same boat no ppp yet here either. My 3rd is only 9 almost 10 months old, tho. How’s your diet look??? Supplements? Doing weights? I started he stuff when she was 5 months old and gained muscle (and a bit of fat) and now feel I’m all ready for nothing! No cycle yet. But it’s for the best since AS recommends 12-18 months is better for blue. Probably better to start some of the basics of HE - supplements/ weights/ breakfast as it may help your cycle return faster. I saw an article where it’s the overall time spent with the milk being expressed in a 24hr period that has the anovulatory effect.

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[atomic sagebrush]

Yay, I finally got it fixed for you!!!

I agree 100% - time is of the essence here with retrieval. Get it done as soon as possible, even if you decide to sway anyway.

I think that unless you're planning to go ahead with IVF (in which case you'd need to wean) then by all means you can continue nursing as long as you want. Your cycle will come back at some point though even with nursing so be sure you're taking precautions if you aren't ready to TTC.

I think just take it a day at a time. Do the doable in terms of eating better, exercising a bit more without overdoing, take your vitamins, try to stay well rested, that sort of thing.

What's hubby got going on? Any room for improvement there?

[LMSM]

Atomic – thanks - yay you tech guru, you!! :P

Sorry for the late response everyone, I am just about to leave my current job so tying up loose ends and just super busy ^^

Polaris – well hello , again – my fellow girl producer haha and yay for your current sway – may it be successful and soon ^^

9jamama01 – I know that in principle we can all produce both genders, but the odds of having 4 girls is the rarest of all the combos possible with 4 kids LOL I’m sorry you’ve been waiting for your BFP for so long – did you have any issues conceiving previously?

TheFinalCountdown – oh yes your baby girl is still tiny! It’s frustating though when you actually DO want the PP cycles to start gah hope they come soon so you can TTC /sway properly ;) Re your questions, see below long essay haha

To respond, Atomic – (sorry, you know my propensity to essays by now :P ) :

**For me – status update: due to recurrent migraines, my Dr had me do a full blood panel – which shows that I have very low ferritin so he has me started on iron tabs – we’ll reassess again in a months’ time (thyroid, magnesium etc etc all good and in normal range). So am taking that along with probiotics at this stage – will soon reintroduce a multi (my B12 was bordeline low as well). I’ve lost most of my baby weight now (finally!) but still at the heaviest range I’ve ever been not pregnant (for context I’m 1.68m tall, and at conception for DD1 was 52-3kgs/DD2:50-1kgs; DD3: 55-6kg and DD4 around 60kg…am sitting just about that 60kg mark atm too now). I definitely NEED muscle and to rebuild my core and strenght (if for nothing else, to help with my chronic back pain).

My strategy once I settle in the new job over the coming weels is to devise a simple exercise plan (has to be simple, or life will just get in the way!) since I will be working from home 2 days a week – so my min. will be 2 good HIIT/bodyweight sessions those days, and keep active otherwise (standing up at desk if I can & walking) if I can’t squeeze in more HITT sessions (I’ve got a simple smartwatch to track activity so it motivates me to get my bum moving more ^^). I am doing nettle tea & eating our garden’s fresh citrus for nutrients to help bost the iron tabs – and black tea with milk rather than coffee and drinking water to thirst. I take coconut water when I have migraines striking but not actively trying to drink some everyday like I did when swaying for #3 ^^ Adding a collagen protein shake (it is very clean with basically only collagen and whey – not vitamins or otherwise)that I can guzzle on the go 1st thing in the AM as I don’t usually have time for brekkie until I sit at my desk at work a few hours after wake-up (prioritising getting the kids fed and ready before I head out). Adding in bone broth to sauces, mixing in ghee and grass fed butter to dishes where I can, NYF to salads and FF greek yogurt in many dishes.
I think that I need to really cut back on gluten, as I think I tend to eat too carby foods and especially those containing gluten..at least, replace more of the carbs with more nutrient dense carbs (so intead of doing a side of white rice with say curry or chili, will do 50/50 rice with quinoa or chickpeas etc).

**For hubby: doesn’t and never has smoked, drinks rarely, and/but is not going to the gym anymore (hasn’t for quite some time now) – so could do with more muscle/exercise – trying to find easy, discreet ways to get him to not sit down as much and try to build up that muscle. Only good thing is, in the last few months, he started using a stand-up desk at work so he is standing rather that sitting down on his family jewels all day LOL he is also due to change jobs in a few months, and since it will be closer to home, will not spend as much time sitting in the car (which I’d say is good?!). I’d consider having him use a way to cool down his boxer area but I know you don’t think it’s all that necessary haha We have been doing some back yard works and to save $ he did most of it himself so he’s literally spent weekends digging dirt and moving heavy stuff – but still has ways to go to get more muscular especially in the belly. I know a bit of fat isn’t going to make or break a sway – I’m thinking just being in optimal shape from a fertility perspective.

I must admit since returning to work from mat leave in January I have been really slack with meal planning – so need to get back into that (it is a timesaver too, things have just been so chaotic that I did not hav ethe headspace for anything more) as that will allow me to ensure a better balance of protein/nutrients going into every meal ;)

We both had Covid in January and have been run down since (I mean, more run down than usual thanks to 4 kids/ full time work :P) so I think coming into our winter now, we certainly could benefit from an overall health boost anyways haha


**Re IVF/retrieval - I have leads for a possible IVF Dr in my country that does “gender aware” IVF (which isn’t actual legal here in Oz – he only takes on couples with genuine fertility issues but allows you to chose your embryo) – the issue here: to be able to get in, I need a referral from my GP – and the best way to get that referral would be to be a bit sneaky saying that I DO have cycles, and have maybe had a couple of chemical pregnancies. With my age, and underlying endometriosis, that would be enough of an “excuse” to get the referral I think… BUT then I ALSO will need to convince hubs because while he all needs to do really is a deposit or two (they would likely do a SA prior to everything anyways), I need him on board somehow (plus can’t just plunder our bank account to pay for all this ^^). So in therory, it’d be awesome to get in soon get a retrieval , get some embies tested and freeze them for a later transfer – in practice, it’s an awful lot of “Ifs” :P

In short, so much uncertainty overall, which I HATE – I plan everything and it sh*ts me not being able to prepare more specifically ..while I am getting clucky, I am also WAYYYY tooo tired to want to pregnant atm anyways (I am the one stopping DH on the rare DTD opportunities to send him get protection before he gets carried away) ^^

[atomic sagebrush]

can you bump this for me?? I'm so sorry I thought I'd have a chance to reply this afternoon and now it's dinnertime LOL.

[LMSM]

Sorry I was unable to get on here for days !!!
Bumping this now :) thanks

[atomic sagebrush]

No it's my fault it just depends when I check the messages if I have time enough to answer them.

So have you started the multi yet?

How is settling in going?? Are you able to do some exercise? Even if it's only just 15 minutes 3x a week we've seen it help.

Be sure you're doing the tea at a different time of day than the iron, as it can interfere with absorption.

Oh wow great that hubby was just without much effort able to make some positive changes. Yes I don't think the "icing the jewels" strategy works unless you were able to spend many hours a day doing it (and how miserable that would be!)

Oh, great that you've got Covid off your "to do" list LOL!!! And glad everyone came through it ok.

Wow, keep me posted on the possible IVF! I hope hubby is receptive to it! I SO wish that family balancing was accepted, there's no reason why those of us who have four of one gender shouldn't have a chance at the opposite...it's not like there will be any imbalance of gender, we already did our parts, LOL.

Yes keep up using protection for now - till you're ready to roll!! That way we won't have any oopsies messing up your plans.

[LMSM]

No it's my fault it just depends when I check the messages if I have time enough to answer them.

So have you started the multi yet?

How is settling in going?? Are you able to do some exercise? Even if it's only just 15 minutes 3x a week we've seen it help.

Be sure you're doing the tea at a different time of day than the iron, as it can interfere with absorption.

Oh wow great that hubby was just without much effort able to make some positive changes. Yes I don't think the "icing the jewels" strategy works unless you were able to spend many hours a day doing it (and how miserable that would be!)

Oh, great that you've got Covid off your "to do" list LOL!!! And glad everyone came through it ok.

Wow, keep me posted on the possible IVF! I hope hubby is receptive to it! I SO wish that family balancing was accepted, there's no reason why those of us who have four of one gender shouldn't have a chance at the opposite...it's not like there will be any imbalance of gender, we already did our parts, LOL.

Yes keep up using protection for now - till you're ready to roll!! That way we won't have any oopsies messing up your plans.

Thanks Atomic!

Supps:
I haven’t started the multi yet- but have it ready – it’s this one https://au.iherb.com/pr/21st-century-one-daily-women-s-100-tablets/25519
I think you recommended the ‘One a day’ brand – and this is virtually the exact same comp: however, it seems that Biotin in there are very high doses (which they are in the OAD brand too?).
Most vits/minerals in here are 70-100% of RDD but Biotin is like 3000% - oops.. is that really bad?
The men’s version (even if looking at the Mens 50+ version which is the one I have – he is 44 now so not a spring chicken!) also has some high levels, regardless of brand used.. https://au.iherb.com/pr/21st-century-one-daily-men-s-50-multivitamin-multimineral-100-tablets/43834?gclid=a55b0b36217013640384693fed6583ce&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=a55b0b36217013640384693fed6583ce&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Product%20Listing%20Ads%20%3E%20Austr alia%20%3E%20Acquisition&utm_term=4580290569516794&utm_content=*All%20Products
If you have thoughts on that, I’d welcome it.

Food:
Good thing is that I have cut down coffee heaps, and have mainly black tea with milk (FF). I have the occasional coffee but it averages at 3 a week max (and not strong at all) vs at least a tea a day, if not two.
The nettle tea I mentioned earlier is a herbal tea so shouldn’t impede the iron absorption from my tablets – I do make sure to not have tea/coffee around the time I take the tab and if possible, eat citrus with it.

I know that for me, food wise, being organised and to have easy to grab nutritious food is key – or it’ll be very girl mum crap food :P We have chooks too now, so while it’s winter now and they aren’t laying, we’ll be back to ‘as fresh as they get free range organic’ eggs in spring. My new job allows me to WFH a couple of days so trying to maximise that extra time not lost in commute to prep meals ;)

Exercise & co:
Now that the backyard work is done – will have to find ways to get hubs working out. He tends to want to be a couch potato when not at work and kids are in bed – he works a lot so energy levels are low.
Hoping the new job will reenergise him and that he can keep that stand-up desk setup once he starts there in Sept.
For me, yes – the goal is at least 30 min 2-3 times a week (HIIT) and the rest could be walking. I just bought small 2kg dumbells as my 12kg kettlebell is too much for my wrists to handle right now due to lifting babe all the time.
I try to stand at my desk as it allows it when in the office too. I can tell my arms are less flabby, so must doing something right – it’s the belly I have to work harder on haha

IVF:
I really, really hope that DH can be convinced with IVF but tbh, given how difficult our eldest (we will be doing adhd/asd testing soon hopefully) is and how little #4 lets us (read – ME) sleep, I feel that he will not be willing to TTC even more so go through IVF – at least at this stage…and it is really NOW or soon that I’d need to get those eggs/embies created/tested/frozen even if only used in 12-18 months’ time…clock is ticking! It is so disheartening…it would definitely make it easier if it was readily accessible/not taboo etc. I just feel like unless we win the loto and $ is no longer an issue, he won’t be convinced (even though he has indicated – when I found out that #4 was another girl – that he’d agreed to it if had he known the depth of my GD...sigh).
At least he is not saying that we definitely are done – I hope he is not doing that to avoid me having a breakdown when he actually wants no more...that being said, we’ve put away some baby gear and saved it in the attic. He better let me have that baby – the man OWES me a son or two haha

Believe me when I say no way…NO WAY to another oops haha as much as I adore my number 4, no way. I would not survive it mentally – it would kill me! If I fell pregnant with another girl, I know the only solution would be to terminate. So protection is definitely compulsory ^^
Miss M is now 15 months, nursing all night (we bedshare as my only way to still sleep a bit) and when we are together sporadically during the day (so mostly weekend days) – but still no cycle! I don’t mind, with endo, my periods are so painful anyway…just hope that it’s not a sign that my fertility has declined since last time I fell pregnant…

[LMSM]

Just bumping this in case anyone wants to give their thoughts … any mums of girls that had boys or mummas if lots of boys?! :D

[jyotshna.y14]

Hello LMSM I seen some families they r having alot of girls and boys also but my observation is that some people gender changes 3 of same gender some people gender changes after 4 or 5 but definitely u get it.my observation is that just compare ur body changes like hormones before ur daughters and now if ur body changes like alot of bleeding before now it's changed like little bleeding try to calculate it do ur best and take chance may be it will work

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[LMSM]

Hello LMSM I seen some families they r having alot of girls and boys also but my observation is that some people gender changes 3 of same gender some people gender changes after 4 or 5 but definitely u get it.my observation is that just compare ur body changes like hormones before ur daughters and now if ur body changes like alot of bleeding before now it's changed like little bleeding try to calculate it do ur best and take chance may be it will work

Sent from my BE2026 using Tapatalk
Thanks! All of my girls were conceived in quite different circumstances so it’s hard to pinpoint the things that may sway the most..
And currently still haven’t got a period back . I do know that after #3 when my periods came back I had light spotting for a couple of days prior to AF beginning ( that was my clue something was up when I took a test for#4 since I’d had no spotting.. turns out it wasn’t my cycle regulating but was up the duff with my oops lol)

[LMSM]

Ok, some changes for DH- he is changing jobs and starts the new one in September but his current employer has decided to pay him the notice period so he’ll be home but get paid until he starts the new job :)
SO opportunity to relax (and get heaps done around the house - my list is growing haha) and gently nudge him to get that muscle building going with some more consistent exercise :P the first thing he said was since I WFH a couple of days per week - we can have sex haha

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh gosh thanks so much for your patience!!!

Both those supplements are ok. I would prefer they didn't have the biotin but a LOT of vitamins have that these days. The men's one is a fraction of what some of the fertility vites have (honestly, I rather like the breakdown of that, better than the American one!)

That's a totally fine level of coffee intake. Mostly black tea but occasionally coffee is how I got my boys!

Yes it's all about what you have on hand - and with the prices up like they are, it's not easy! Just do what you can, even if it's just nuts and cheese it's still very healthy. That's what I often had for a snack/breakfast when I got my boys - nuts or cheese and then an orange or dates. Yogurt with fresh fruit and oatmeal with apple, berries, or peanut butter was also a fave. And Vegemite has been something a lot of girls from Australia have relied on, if you like that.

Awww, I love my chooks, they're so fun! I hope yours get back to laying soon. I have too many eggs right now, wish I could magically teleport some your way.

FX that hubby is able to keep his stand up desk and hopefully has some more energy to keep active.

I very much prefer you guys do light weights anyway. When people try to use heavier weights, we see a lot of injuries. The 2 kg is plenty!

After a few kiddos that belly never really does return to form. Just do what you can do, I promise I always had a tummy when I got my boys (even the first one o.o)

I hate it when men say "well if I'd known you'd felt that way..." after the fact. The truth is you don't know that's true, he may not have agreed anyway, and then you'd have missed out on #4. I agree that it's awesome he's not saying "definitely done" just yet!!

It's totally normal for it to take longer and longer for your cycle to come back after each kiddo. It doesn't mean anything for your fertility. Just enjoy the break that your body is giving you. It actually may help you to recover since you're not bleeding every month!!!

[LMSM]

Oh gosh thanks so much for your patience!!!

Both those supplements are ok. I would prefer they didn't have the biotin but a LOT of vitamins have that these days. The men's one is a fraction of what some of the fertility vites have (honestly, I rather like the breakdown of that, better than the American one!)

That's a totally fine level of coffee intake. Mostly black tea but occasionally coffee is how I got my boys!

Yes it's all about what you have on hand - and with the prices up like they are, it's not easy! Just do what you can, even if it's just nuts and cheese it's still very healthy. That's what I often had for a snack/breakfast when I got my boys - nuts or cheese and then an orange or dates. Yogurt with fresh fruit and oatmeal with apple, berries, or peanut butter was also a fave. And Vegemite has been something a lot of girls from Australia have relied on, if you like that.

Awww, I love my chooks, they're so fun! I hope yours get back to laying soon. I have too many eggs right now, wish I could magically teleport some your way.

FX that hubby is able to keep his stand up desk and hopefully has some more energy to keep active.

I very much prefer you guys do light weights anyway. When people try to use heavier weights, we see a lot of injuries. The 2 kg is plenty!

After a few kiddos that belly never really does return to form. Just do what you can do, I promise I always had a tummy when I got my boys (even the first one o.o)

I hate it when men say "well if I'd known you'd felt that way..." after the fact. The truth is you don't know that's true, he may not have agreed anyway, and then you'd have missed out on #4. I agree that it's awesome he's not saying "definitely done" just yet!!

It's totally normal for it to take longer and longer for your cycle to come back after each kiddo. It doesn't mean anything for your fertility. Just enjoy the break that your body is giving you. It actually may help you to recover since you're not bleeding every month!!!

Oh don't worry about it, I just appreciate you taking the time ;) (also, I am not anywhere near ttc yet so it's not time sensitive at this stage hehe)

That all is reassuring thank you! I might use the vits I have now, and when I run out, try to find something with less biotin for me (though it seems it's good for luscious locks haha) if that is even available! Trying to not have to take 1,000,000 different tablets - so if I can get most of what I need in the multi, winning! I will add extra F.A and keep the probiotics...
is that vit D level sufficient (in the multi)?
should I try to get some omega 3/ Cq10 in the mix too?

For DH, I wish I could get him to get carnitine /arginine - but think the multi is likely to be my best option, I think/
If I could add an extra tablet - even if taken only sporadically - which one would be the most important? (he does eat dairy in the form of yogurt or cheese mainly, but not every day).

I am finding myself doing sneaky squats when brushing my teeth or waiting for the water to warm up to shower etc - hopefully, that will contribute positively too haha
I remember reading ELP's sways yonkies ago, and that she was lifting kids, running around the kitchen etc, to get any exercise in...I think that is a good option for me too, being sleep deprived and time poor ^^

For the food, you won't get me eating Vegemite, it's an acquired taste..my kids love it, I don't haha
That being said, what you mention - yogurt, oatmeal, berries, fruit, nuts/PB etc - are very much my go tos for brekkie. I do have toast some days with butter but trying to not have that too often either. I will try to make some breakfast wraps with eggs, spinach, cheese or oatmeal bakes for the days I don't have time to ensure i have high protein, balanced options too
And likely will try on very busy days to do my collagen shake to get avoid too long a fast - followed by a brekkie an hour or two after.
I find it easier to have smaller portion, more often... ;)
And I find myself having like 3 + teas a day now, as it is so cold atm lol when it gets warmer again, might have to get into iced tea too ^^

IVF & my hubby - in a way, I almost wish he hadn't said anything. But he saw me at the verge of a nervous breakdown, crying (like, ugly sobbing) non-stop for several days straight, ready to book an abortion when I found out #4 was another girl...I think he meant it, but it was probably also a defence mechanism to take me off the ledge so to speak? I know the few times I've tried to raise the idea, he's dismissed it - and I didn't want to push it for fear of having him just not being onboard for anymore kids, at all - IVF or not.

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes the Vit. D is a good level in that. I honestly am not sold on the coq10 and it's pretty expensive, so feel free to leave that out. Omega 3 in a smallish dose is good, but if you feel like you're eating a fair bit of fish and other healthy fat, you can skip it till closer in, if you'd like.

Carnitine is probably the best of the lot if he can only take one once in a while, but they do have blends with carnitine and arginine together if you can sneak one past him LOL. Probiotics are also good.

I always did those when I got my three younger boys, I would sneak those in whenever I could!!!

Small portions more often are great!! I often did that myself.

Tea is such a good drink once you get used to it - there's something soothing about it yet it's a good pick me up.

oh yes, that makes sense with hubby and IVF, and we have seen a lot of men who get pushed too hard, then declare a baby off the table entirely. Keeping fingers and toes crossed for you!

[LMSM]

Yes the Vit. D is a good level in that. I honestly am not sold on the coq10 and it's pretty expensive, so feel free to leave that out. Omega 3 in a smallish dose is good, but if you feel like you're eating a fair bit of fish and other healthy fat, you can skip it till closer in, if you'd like.

Carnitine is probably the best of the lot if he can only take one once in a while, but they do have blends with carnitine and arginine together if you can sneak one past him LOL. Probiotics are also good.

I always did those when I got my three younger boys, I would sneak those in whenever I could!!!

Small portions more often are great!! I often did that myself.

Tea is such a good drink once you get used to it - there's something soothing about it yet it's a good pick me up.

oh yes, that makes sense with hubby and IVF, and we have seen a lot of men who get pushed too hard, then declare a baby off the table entirely. Keeping fingers and toes crossed for you!

Oh there is a mixed one for arginine and carnitine?? if you have brand names let me know please! I've only managed to find one blend, and it's sold at Walmart, which wouldn't be possible for me being all the way in Australia alas :P
Not that I want to be sneaky, but still...LOL the man is stubborn and hates swallowing pills, so a blend would extra helpful and super extra helpful if it is a liquid or powder form that can be taken more...hum...discreetly haha
I have found carnitine liquid options so all else failing, might give that a try ^^ will that help with his stamina (whether just exercise or sex) too? If he gets extra strong and/or kinky, may be easier to convince that supps are worth it haha

For me and the Cq10 (definitely none for DH?) - may take some as I think I have some leftover, and yes they are dang expensive so would hate for them to be wasted ^^ but will not actively replace them.
Same for omega 3s - as am still nursing will only have one every 3 days maybe, to up my levels, as we don't do fish more than once a week at this stage, but my goal will be to up our fish to 2* week (salmon) soon anyways, so will not overly worry about getting too much of the O3 supps until a bit later ;)

You would think that after 4 kids, TTC should be easy - and after 2 sways, I'd not feel worried about getting things wrong - but while I don't want to overly obsess over things, I know I need some form of control haha

[LMSM]

This liquid carnitine seems ok? https://au.iherb.com/pr/rsp-nutrition-l-carnitine-weight-management-peach-mango-3-000-mg-16-fl-oz-473-ml/84580
It's 3000mg but that means I could give it EOD or so instead? and because it's only a TBSP for a serving (rather than 2 with others), I'd need less, making it easier to "conceal" - i.e. could include it in an overnight oats brekkie with fruit etc (haven't found a liquid one that wasn't flavoured).
Just wasn't sure about the "Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium D-Pantothenate) 10 mg 200%"?

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes, they're usually sold for heart health. They'll have some other stuff in them but as long as it's not maca (which I don't like for swayers) they're ok. Here is one so you can see what to look for: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Support-L-Carnitine-L-Arginine-Cardiovascular/dp/B07VZ21TQ8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1VFTRDZZPCBMH&keywords=arginine+carnitine&qid=1657720929&s=hpc&sprefix=arginine+carnitine%2Chpc%2C227&sr=1-4

Liquid can work too.

Coq10 is fine for hubby, it's just more that it's expensive so if you aren't planning to TTC for sure for a while, it might be something to hold off on.

I agree with your assessment on the Omega 3, maybe even just once a week would be enough since you're still nursing. Err on the side of a lower dose.

When you're swaying blue it's all good to be a control freak, LOL! Good luck and blue dust headed your way!!

[LMSM]

Yes, they're usually sold for heart health. They'll have some other stuff in them but as long as it's not maca (which I don't like for swayers) they're ok. Here is one so you can see what to look for: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Support-L-Carnitine-L-Arginine-Cardiovascular/dp/B07VZ21TQ8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1VFTRDZZPCBMH&keywords=arginine+carnitine&qid=1657720929&s=hpc&sprefix=arginine+carnitine%2Chpc%2C227&sr=1-4

Liquid can work too.

Coq10 is fine for hubby, it's just more that it's expensive so if you aren't planning to TTC for sure for a while, it might be something to hold off on.

I agree with your assessment on the Omega 3, maybe even just once a week would be enough since you're still nursing. Err on the side of a lower dose.

When you're swaying blue it's all good to be a control freak, LOL! Good luck and blue dust headed your way!!

Thanks for that link - it's good insofar it's a single tablet and they have both carnitine and arginine (and CQ10) - I didn't think Inositol and Taurine (I only have seen taurine in Energy drinks so in my mind it's the epitome of unhealthy stuff haha) would be ok though?
It makes me nervous giving him those two - will see if I can find a simpler version without those two maybe... gah, the things to worry about lol I'm sure given the array of supps out there, there is bound to be one that is perfect or near perfect. I guess my mission is now to track it down :P

[atomic sagebrush]

The inositol is only pink friendly in large amounts (when used by DW) and the taurine is good, just not good enough to justify giving it to people. Taurine is just an amino acid.

[Thefinalcountdown]

The inositol is only pink friendly in large amounts (when used by DW) and the taurine is good, just not good enough to justify giving it to people. Taurine is just an amino acid.

Ok phew I had one nibble of this chocolate and it had inositol in it and I’ve been mega panicking over it ever since!!


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[atomic sagebrush]

The doses on the inositol for pink are between 500 (and not that many people use such a small dose) to 2000 mg daily. Smaller amounts don't do anything to your hormone levels.

[LMSM]

Thanks so much! I was worried I’d never find *anything* after some obsessive internet searching so this definitely looks like a great option if I can manage to get my hands on some here/ have some shipped from o/s.

[LMSM]

Hi Atomic (and others),

I’m trying to put together menus/items to prep to make it easier for me to ensure I hit my targets of protein (and fat) especially.
An easy way to boost a recipe would be nuts – including PB: is it worth even looking at PB powder (it has less fat that PB)?
http://Tru-Nut Powdered Peanut Butter, 454g : Amazon.com.au: Pantry Food & Drinks
Obviously, not wanting to get all my protein/fat from nuts (just to be clear)- but it ups the nutritional profile of anything I suppose ^^

It’s a tough balance to strike as my eldest daughter has weight issues (she is borderline obese :( ) and I don’t want to go overboard with HE for her sake (yes, I can keep some items for me but overall, it is easier if what I make caters to the whole family as much as possible and she unfortunately also seeks out all and any food she can find so hiding/keeping separate can backfire).
The PB powder was a good option for her to enjoy a PB dip (when powder is mixed with some water) with her fruit for instance but I don’t want to single out things “for her” so she is self-conscious IYKWIM?
HE is a healthy lifestyle for us to have as a family anyways – but IF I can manage to keep carbs in control – but admittedly, like most kids, my kids will need a fair bit to keep full and that’s what they go for too (they’d have cheesy pasta every night tbh LOL) ..ideas???
They will not quite as happy to eat beans/legumes over rice/pasta so it's a bit hard to get most of our carbs from veg/legumes though I think we'd be better off for it health wise...
I can’t serve them a huge steak each every night – so lots of the meals kinda need to be smaller portion meat (mince beef, diced chicken etc) and I worry that’s where I am failing HE…can’t get the big quantities of protein I’d like via actual meat (and especially red meat).
If we go out I do order steak or brisket beef / beef burger etc (as opposed to my previous chicken, fish or veg options) but that obviously is only once in a while.

Also, making my own date syrup (to keep BS stable rather than getting a spike with raw sugar I currently use to sweeten my tea etc) so will use the leftover dates (hence less sweet obvi) to bulk some of the sweet brekkie/snack options – hope that’s ok.

I’m gradually building up my exercise to 3 times per week (HIIT with body weight and weights – about 20-30 min depending on how much time I can spare) with the aim of getting to 4-5 in the next few months…other days I do Just Dance videos from Youtube with my kids where we goof around or go for walks on weekends with them.

Also – DH is off work for 8 weeks in between jobs so he’s doing a lot of things around the house/caring for himself (which is great! Plus more BD for us haha) – and he said the other day he’d like to start running and I am here going “NOOOOOO,don’t!!!” … I don’t want his balls bouncing for an hour at a time like that (he’d not go every day but still). I’m not sure how to encourage weight type of activity instead of the running TBH other than his new boss is similar aged and really buff (ex- police, who goes to gym every morning lol)…how the F*ck to tell him I’d like buff over long and lean without sounding creepy about his boss?? LOL

[LMSM]

Ok phew I had one nibble of this chocolate and it had inositol in it and I’ve been mega panicking over it ever since!!


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You sound like me LOL rationally one nibble isn't going to make a difference but I'd be fretting anyways haha
It's hard being rational when it comes to your own need to control everythiiiing :LOL:

[Thefinalcountdown]

Yeah right! Good for blue sways apparently! The worst is what my husband does I just want to cryofreeze him so he can’t injure himself.

How are you doing w diet and weights? I’m starting to add an afternoon snack to things so I’m not pink friendly. Have you cycled yet?


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[LMSM]

Yeah right! Good for blue sways apparently! The worst is what my husband does I just want to cryofreeze him so he can’t injure himself.

How are you doing w diet and weights? I’m starting to add an afternoon snack to things so I’m not pink friendly. Have you cycled yet?


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If only taking the family jewels into a safe place was an option, eh???

Diet wise, still improvements to be made - likewise with weights... I am just extremely run down, it's winter here and my baby is a shite sleeper (she was soooooo good until hitting that 1st tooth coming).
No cycle as yet - though did have lots of EWCM the other day, so suspect my body is at least *trying* to O?? (that being said TTC is not on the cards now - and may never be)... how about you?

[LMSM]

And had a convo with DH yesterday for IVF/GS - he says that he's given it some thought, and he can't get over his reservations around ethics, the possible effects on a child (the "unknowns" from a scientific perspective)...even to avoid having me abort a girl should we try naturally.
He knows that if we have a 5th, it could well be a girl again...and knows that I feel my only option as much as I abhor it, would be to terminate.
Even telling him that PGD allows to "weed" out (hate that term but for lack of better..) the unhealthy embryos - no, it doesn't guarantee a 100% healthy child as they cannot test for everything but conversely, when you ttc naturally, you test for nothing eh?!
I feel like he is not understanding the depth of my despair (or willing to ignore it, for me to "suck it up") and how much either foregoing a son (no more babies) or risking another daughter (TTC and come what may - while I could consider it, I know what I would have to do if it didn't go my way and am sick to the stomach at the thought) would be detrimental to my mental health... I can't force another child on him, I cannot force him to do IVF (it's not like I want a son from someone else, I want HIS son)...feel completely trapped and am so worried where this will take me mentally.

[atomic sagebrush]

I'm sorry, I know it's so hard and none of us expect to feel the way we do.

Just take it a day at a time and see how you feel. A lot of people have actually felt that baby fever kind of abate after several months have passed, and they have more clarity about what their next step should be. Once that desperation lifts, other paths may become open that didn't feel like they were open at first. :heart:

[LMSM]

Thanks Atomic!

I've just decided to let it go for a while and indeed see how I feel - it's not like we would have tried for another right this instant but conversely, know that my chances with IVF would be better now/soonish vs later.
I will probably broach it again in a few weeks and try to propose IVF and see what the cycle yields and if we do have some XYs, consider implanting later at a time that works for us.
I honestly don't really have baby fever atm anyways as I still have a baby at home, as much as she grows every day (16 m.o now!) and I know that I wouldn't want a 5th if it's not going to be a boy.

Newborns, TTC, pregnancy don't seem that appealing right this moment as I'm in the depth of my anyhow as got really sick and my first PP period decided it would be great timing to show up after a completely sleepless night with high fever..blah LOL

[treens]

Big hugs to you! Best of luck to what you decide when you are ready

[LMSM]

Thanks Treens ! :)

[atomic sagebrush]

Ok, keep me posted!! Baby fever is so weird how it comes and goes like that!

[LMSM]

It is! I think that the prospect of doing IVF and that guarantee of a boy if we had some XY embies was what driving the "baby fever"...without that option, I need to seriously think then talk again to DH
In the meantime, even with no TTC, as soon as I kick this illness (getting antibiotics today - boy am I happy about getting them I tell ya) I will continue my plan of long term HE prep- because in the end, it will be good for me anyhow, regardless of where we land baby #5-wise

[LMSM]

Also, possibly stupid question, and may possibly have asked this question previously but forgive my feverish brain if I have:
DH lost most of his hair at 18 (as did most of men in his family, early on at least & on both sides...if we do have a son, pray he gets good hair genes lol)..he tells me it's high testosterone, but is it really?
And if it is/could be, is it possibly a problem? I know that we want higher testosterone for blue but how much is too much (and that is obviously the $1,000,000 question especially without being able to measure it, I know).
Just something else I feel we need to address with him :P

[atomic sagebrush]

The guarantee is a siren song, but you have to keep in mind that it's only a guarantee if it WORKS, and many people never get to that point. Since they have sad stories and a lot of pain, they generally will disappear from these sites and you never hear their backstories, but many people get no eggs, many more get nothing to transfer, many others transfer but lose babies, and every go round is a huge expense even if we don't come out of it with a baby. So take the "guarantee" with a grain of salt, because there is a lot of space between an IVF cycle and a guarantee!

[atomic sagebrush]

High testosterone in men has never been proven to sway, and even in women it's based on fairly sketchy data. We do seem to see a lot of balding celebrity men with girls (hello, Bruce Willis!) but think of it this way...if this was insurmountable, your husband and those men in his family literally wouldn't exist because how would their genes have been passed down?? If it was all girls, all the time, then...there wouldn't be bald men at all to begin with, since all bald men would have exclusively daughters and apparently those "bald headed men" genes would be inextricably linked to making girls.

Plus, we have a lot of couples who are swaying PINK and have their husbands go onto the baldness medication to get girls (and succeeding with that!) so I honestly don't think it can boil down to testosterone alone.

[LMSM]

The guarantee is a siren song, but you have to keep in mind that it's only a guarantee if it WORKS, and many people never get to that point. Since they have sad stories and a lot of pain, they generally will disappear from these sites and you never hear their backstories, but many people get no eggs, many more get nothing to transfer, many others transfer but lose babies, and every go round is a huge expense even if we don't come out of it with a baby. So take the "guarantee" with a grain of salt, because there is a lot of space between an IVF cycle and a guarantee!
Oh I’ve certainly seen the heartbreak of many on IVF/GS cycles.. it is very much a case of many « ifs » lining up to get to the DG embryo (s) then if the thaw goes ok you may have a chance of your DG that way. I know, trust me.. I just know that IF we made it that far, and implanted our XY embryo, it’d finally be a boy rather than the « yet another girl » we seem to make naturally.. iykwim? I’d have control over which gender embryo we get into my uterus. Then it’s nature deciding if it sticks but if if sticks, bingo!

[LMSM]

High testosterone in men has never been proven to sway, and even in women it's based on fairly sketchy data. We do seem to see a lot of balding celebrity men with girls (hello, Bruce Willis!) but think of it this way...if this was insurmountable, your husband and those men in his family literally wouldn't exist because how would their genes have been passed down?? If it was all girls, all the time, then...there wouldn't be bald men at all to begin with, since all bald men would have exclusively daughters and apparently those "bald headed men" genes would be inextricably linked to making girls.

Plus, we have a lot of couples who are swaying PINK and have their husbands go onto the baldness medication to get girls (and succeeding with that!) so I honestly don't think it can boil down to testosterone alone.
I’ll try not to fret over that but I do see ( probably because I want to find patterns?! Lol) lots of celebs with girls / only girls with the male being bald / very muscular or both .. DH is not very muscular at all but bald he is soooo lol
My brain is just desperate to make sense of why TF do we only seem to make girls !? :P

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh I’ve certainly seen the heartbreak of many on IVF/GS cycles.. it is very much a case of many « ifs » lining up to get to the DG embryo (s) then if the thaw goes ok you may have a chance of your DG that way. I know, trust me.. I just know that IF we made it that far, and implanted our XY embryo, it’d finally be a boy rather than the « yet another girl » we seem to make naturally.. iykwim? I’d have control over which gender embryo we get into my uterus. Then it’s nature deciding if it sticks but if if sticks, bingo!

I do totally understand, I just have to share that side of it since not everyone is hip to it! I hear from so many people who truly have no idea that IVF isn't a sure thing that I always have to share the flip side. :)

[atomic sagebrush]

I’ll try not to fret over that but I do see ( probably because I want to find patterns?! Lol) lots of celebs with girls / only girls with the male being bald / very muscular or both .. DH is not very muscular at all but bald he is soooo lol
My brain is just desperate to make sense of why TF do we only seem to make girls !? :P

Just think of Prince William! :) And Patrick Stewart has a son as well! Stanley Tucci has two boys just like William has!

I SO wish I had the ability to just look it up in my files and tell people "oh yes see here's why you've had boys and girls" but as of yet I don't have that knowledge! Maybe someday. FXFXFX.

[LMSM]

Just think of Prince William! :) And Patrick Stewart has a son as well! Stanley Tucci has two boys just like William has!

I SO wish I had the ability to just look it up in my files and tell people "oh yes see here's why you've had boys and girls" but as of yet I don't have that knowledge! Maybe someday. FXFXFX.

Wouldn't that just be AWESOME!?? it'll be way after my fertility boat has sailed, no doubt - but it'd be fascinating to understand the true mechanics and triggers :D
I'll be really interested in seeing how my daughters' family compositions end up being one day - I just hope so bad that none of them suffer from endometriosis and that they don't have any fertility issues because it SUCKS :(

[LMSM]

Also (sorry, this brain never stops!!)
Carnitine (and possibly arginine) are on the top priority list for DH - *but* should I consider arginine at all for *me*?

Tea wise - I will finish my Nettle as it is to help up my iron levels but have a huge bag of red raspberry leaf tea.
I was thinking as we get into warmer months soon, to make that as an iced tea to alternate with my black tea (hot or cold). In old posts (like 2012!) you said it was good for blue, but just double checking.
If no good, will stick to black tea in various forms (green tea I don't fancy unless it's very lightly brewed and with heaps of sugar so probs no the best).

[atomic sagebrush]

No arginine for you. We saw tons of cycle disruptions when women took it the first couple years of this site, and then most of the people who took it had girls anyway. I dropped it after that and haven't used it again, but I do still have people coming to me for help who have stopped ovulating and are taking arginine! One of the worst supps for messing up cycles!!!

Yes we believe RRLT is good for blue but there's very little data. I feel more confident about the black tea. If you do go with RRLT, be sure to discontinue it at BFP as it can make some CRAZY cramping in the first trimester, even right away.

[LMSM]

No arginine for you. We saw tons of cycle disruptions when women took it the first couple years of this site, and then most of the people who took it had girls anyway. I dropped it after that and haven't used it again, but I do still have people coming to me for help who have stopped ovulating and are taking arginine! One of the worst supps for messing up cycles!!!

Yes we believe RRLT is good for blue but there's very little data. I feel more confident about the black tea. If you do go with RRLT, be sure to discontinue it at BFP as it can make some CRAZY cramping in the first trimester, even right away.

Thanks! Cool, I thought that was the case with arginine for me, so definitely NOT on my list.... :D

I have an extremely irritable uterus so basically it feels like I am in early labour with painful contractions around the clock...from pretty much conception :( so yes, would not risk it haha the bonus is that I labour quickly and efficiently once it's go time but not game to make those contractions worse, for sure! :D
I will aim for black tea more than anything but may add in some RRLT here and there ..my eldest even commented to me the other day "but, Mummy, why don't you drink coffee anymore???" (she likes to prepare it for me as she finds using the milk frother fun...but I just honestly don't feel like it tbh!)

[atomic sagebrush]

That sounds great!! :bluecheer: :bluecheer: :bluecheer:

[LMSM]

Here again with my one zillion questions....
*SLEEP* (or lack thereof)
Now, I co-sleep with miss 17m as that is the best way for me to get ANY sort of shut-eye and she nurses heaps (especially atm because she has a cold and she can only drink for 2 seconds before she is gasping for air because snotty and stuffy poor bub)...
I am at the point where I am getting aversions at night because I am SO bloody exhausted and do not have the opportunity to nap ever, so can't catch up on sleep ever.
I am very much ready to at least night wean her and even better have her transition to her room/bed again - I know this will be a long process as I want to be as gentle as possible and not rush her (or me, she is deliciously snuggly when she doesn't wriggle 1000000000 times around the bed lol)... the chronic lack of sleep is making me overall soooo much less patient and kind with everyone that it's too much of a toll on my kids (and my mental health is shite when I am this tired).
Obviously, better quality and more sleep would be ideal especially leading up to possibly TTC (just stamina wise even) - like, how long should I allow my body to recover from this sleeplessness to get to a point where it's in the blue zone?
I know this is probably very subjective (like, how do I actually feel?) but I worry that I will want to jump to TTC too soon once I feel more rested and don't want to screw things up...

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh gosh I completely recall those days and commiserate!!

I honestly can't say how long to recover. I'd probably give it 3 months to be rested for the full cycle of the egg, but that's probably overkill TBH!

[LMSM]

I would tend to agree that a good few months would be enough but also the minimum so that it's the new normal for my body and for it to be out of that "stress" zone due to lack of sleep.
Now, wish me luck to get this bubba sleeping well haha

[Thefinalcountdown]

My friend gave her son goats milk before bed and he started sleeping through! It tastes like the smell of a petting zoo but he really loved it. She was a total zombie he was 11 months waking up to nurse every 45 minutes all night every night. She would also give him goats milk yogurt.


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[LMSM]

My friend gave her son goats milk before bed and he started sleeping through! It tastes like the smell of a petting zoo but he really loved it. She was a total zombie he was 11 months waking up to nurse every 45 minutes all night every night. She would also give him goats milk yogurt.


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Hey, I might give it a go haha
Do you reckon the goat's milk is better than other types of milk?

[LMSM]

also just found this website - you pop in the ingredients of any recipe, and it analyses the macros (you can then have it broken down per serve if applicable too that way)
https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
useful to ensure that the macros are hitting the protein limits I'd like :)

[Thefinalcountdown]

Hey, I might give it a go haha
Do you reckon the goat's milk is better than other types of milk?

Maybe? I have read that it’s the casein (which is in cow and goat) that really helps them sleep since it’s slower digesting [emoji2372] the yogurt would be more concentrated.


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[atomic sagebrush]

Hey, I might give it a go haha
Do you reckon the goat's milk is better than other types of milk?

I got goats milk once and I thought it was awful, but many children will drink it! FXFXFX that your little one sleeps for you!

[LMSM]

Just looked it up - can't find goat yogurt anywhere main******...might have to do more digging haha
Could only find either goat milk ($5 a litre - that's a bit steep!) or goat milk formula (again, like 2 or 3 times the price of standard formula)... that's a hard one to swallow considering my bewb juice is free and easy to feed bubba :P
She did sleep better last night so hopefully we're on the right track once she's 100% recovered - though did try to pop her into her own bed (3 times I tried) and she woke up instantly crying for me...will have to be patient :P

Also, am on AF again already (1st cycle was only 21 days...I even spotted 2 full days before AF really started). I don't think I even ovulated, but I know it's normal for my body to still be regulating - though would love to have regular cycles so I can keep an eye on patterns.
I just hope that I am not back to low progesterone and luteal phase defect issues like I had before getting pregnant with #1 (I had a luteal phase that was too short and prog plummeting too early)???

Ovulation tests in the past have been rather misleading for me making me miss the mark of O, so am not sure I even want to use them if we TTC again - but rather, wanted to be guided by CM/ how horny I am LOL
Should I still use them? I want to because - control, hello! - but it scares me as it's failed me so much to try to align the readings with what my body was or wasn't doing...

[atomic sagebrush]

It's normal to have those first few cycles be a little off, though. Not unusual at all!

It's totally up to you on the OPK. If you find they're not helping, then you can certainly try without them. I never used them with my kids. If you know your body just start having intercourse when you think the time is right!

The luteal phase defect is often misdiagnosed (people are told they have a defect when really it's plenty long enough to conceive with) and it's also very common to see a wonky cycle correct permanently once you've had kiddos!

[LMSM]

It's normal to have those first few cycles be a little off, though. Not unusual at all!

It's totally up to you on the OPK. If you find they're not helping, then you can certainly try without them. I never used them with my kids. If you know your body just start having intercourse when you think the time is right!

The luteal phase defect is often misdiagnosed (people are told they have a defect when really it's plenty long enough to conceive with) and it's also very common to see a wonky cycle correct permanently once you've had kiddos!

I definitely feel conflicted as to whether I should use them - maybe I will try to use them for a few months to see how I go and then I can decide if I want to continue.
For the LPD, I definitely had it unfortunately - I had luteal series (several blood tests post peak to test progesterone levels) which confirmed that at the time, my LP was about 7-8 days max so while I know 14 days isn't the end all be all and far from the norm, at least 10 days is more compatible with pregnancy :)
I think that between #2-3, it was better more like 11-12 days and before falling pregnant with #4, it was still over 10 but I had spotting for 2-3 days before my cycles commencing so not great.
That is how I clued on to being pregnant with #4, I was expecting my period 2-3 days after the day I tested but had had NO spotting at all...and thought "eh, I might be regulating, yay!...hang oooonnnn..could it be that I am...could I be??" and yep, up the duff LOL

[LMSM]

Ok - well, I just ordered some OPKs just to be able to get a feel for things at least ;)
On the WE, from a random conversation with my eldest (she really wants a baby brother!) and hubby (who used the opportunity of explaining statistics to the 9 year old LOL) - citing scientific studies showing that gender can be swayed to an extent so why not leverage that??
I think he may be not closed to TTC and doing small "harmless" (it's not the "interference" that he is against for IVF) steps towards blue such as supps, eating well, gaining muscle and (I emphasized the whole "lotta sex" thing afterwards, that seemed to light his eyes up haha)...
While this is not the IVF/GS green light I would obviously prefer, it still is probably going to be the best I'll get so have to make the most of it.
The planner in me is therefore trying to find out the best timeframe for TTC so that I can nudge him that way slowly LOL

[atomic sagebrush]

Nice! Let me know how I can help! :)

[LMSM]

Thanks Atomic!
Will start testing next cycle and likely come back with some questions...probably even Qs in between because, do I ever bloody stop asking myself questions about everything?? LOL

[atomic sagebrush]

I love your questions!! Keep em coming!

[LMSM]

43672
I love your questions!! Keep em coming!
Naaaw .. you rock ! :)

Sooo … in that case :P would this collagen powder be ok??
It has a bit of soy which is as emulsifier not protein (the base here is whey) - not sure if I’m overthinking it or if I should just skip it altogether though my sway is far away I don’t want to mess it up

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes that's fine, the soy lecithin is just a little bit of chemistry to help the consistency of the product. Not enough to sway, the protein comes from the whey protein. It does have the artificial sweeteners but I'm not finding small intakes of them to be strong swayers.

[LMSM]

Yes that's fine, the soy lecithin is just a little bit of chemistry to help the consistency of the product. Not enough to sway, the protein comes from the whey protein. It does have the artificial sweeteners but I'm not finding small intakes of them to be strong swayers.

Great , thanks! The artificial sweetness would be the only source at all - I use either raw sugar or date/maple syrups otherwise :)

[atomic sagebrush]

My gut tells me that would not make any difference at all!

[LMSM]

Thanks!!
Seems like my OPKS are arriving today - just as I am just about to O so might be able to take a test this afternoon just for fun/confirmation (I know that a test alone means nothing as such :P) ... this cycle is definitely feeling better than the last ...
TMI warning
...CM has been very obvious (almost too much haha) so that's reassuring LOL
I think I read that you think watery CM is as good as EWCM for fertility - will see how O ends up lining up but seems like I get a couple of days of watery (like suuuper slippery) Cm and had clear EWCM yesterday...suspect O today possibly at most tomorrow
In a TTC context, we'd be going at it as much as possible with attempts as soon as I get that slippery watery CM, correct??
I just feel like if I wait for EWCM, it reduces the window a lot possibly (again, will see how the next cycles track and pattern is so I have a rough idea...I know that every cycle is bound to vary slightly at least).



I'm not even TTC but am excited at the prospect .. and feel like I am building my exercise and diet into habits which feels good :D

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes the watery is considered just as good. The slippery CM just is very good at absorbing additional liquid, and that can make what comes out seem watery-ier, LOL than what people are expecting. But it's all good.

As long as you're not wanting timing, then it is certainly possible to just use your EWCM as your guideline. Do be aware tho, that some of us have EWCM for a LONNGGGG time before O in some months. I have gotten EWCM as early as CD 3 - now, it's not the norm of course, but certainly 5 or even 7 days before O is something quite common that many people experience. I mention all this because I don't want you guys going at it like complete bunnies too early UNLESS hubby can keep up the pace the whole time. We don't want you guys to have 47 attempts the first day you see EWCM and then have hubby shooting dust by the time the egg appears. So pace yourselves and use some judgement based on where you are in the month, as well (although this can of course vary by month, the odds are pretty good you're probably not going to be Oing as soon as CD 7, KWIM??) about how many attempts to have per day.

Now, in terms of worrying that you're waiting till too late, you guys can be doing the every 2-4 days pattern so there's always some action happening even before you see the EWCM!

[LMSM]

Thanks, that all makes sense!
Yes, the idea is to have a pattern of every 2-4 days so that leading up to the fertile window, we’re still BDing but not eroding all energy and sperm either (that would be better used in the lead up to O!) ^^
At this stage, it’s only early days post PP AF returning so will of course keep track once I get my OPKs (turns out the parcel the other day was my collagen arriving super fast, not my opks haha) and see how my body goes – all being well, I have the luxury of time and spending some months just observing for now!

Still on the topic of CM - I know that for Robitussin, my goal will be to take it for approx. 5 days pre O and 3 days post O.
Is it worth trying to take some in the few months before TTC to check on effects on CM? (I'd be inclined to say yes :P)

PLUS super happy our chooks have starting laying again and they are laying like never before - we get 2 eggs per day on average so a good dozen per week - perfect fresh as they get, full of good stuff free range organic eggs - YAY :D

[LMSM]

Bump! :)

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh gosh, I read this and must have shut down without replying. My husband and I are sharing a computer right now so all sorts of weirdness keeps happening LOL.

That's exactly right on the BD pattern and is what most of us with all boys do just naturally.

I don't think it's worth it to take the Robitussin months in advance. Everything changes in the months you try anyway, as a general rule, there's just no conclusion to be drawn. Fine if you want to, but I know it's not free and is another thing to worry about and juggle, so it's completely up to you.

We are in late summer here and just inundated with eggs!! They're so good, though! Enjoy!!

[LMSM]

Don't ever apologise for not responding straight away - I am grateful you do, when you do, full stop.
None of my Qs are time critical as yet though :P

Thanks - will hold off on the Rubitussin at this stage...last cycle CM was good anyhow!
Seems like my LP was good too (I'd estimate approx 12 days - not sure because no opks obvs) so happy with that and hope that it's a sign things are getting back into place ^^

Yeeees - love having loads of eggs - feel like it's giving my body all the good stuff when I use them haha

[atomic sagebrush]

That's another advantage to not using the Robi/Muci - you can see what your CM is doing naturally without any intervention! Excellent news on the LP!

[LMSM]

Yup! The CM lined up with the friskiness and pains so it's probably fair to say that it's a clear fertile window then...I have the opks now so will be able to see how that lines up over the coming cycles ;)
I'll hold off on the Rubitussin, definitely - might just have a trial month in a few month to see if it changes anything and then decide how to go when closer to /when TTC ^^

[atomic sagebrush]

Brilliant! Keep me posted!

[LMSM]

Hi again, glad the site is back up and running..couldn't access it for weeks! ;)

Sigh -we've had bout after bout of illness for one, the other or myself so it seems never-ending :P so glad not to be TTC or pregnant right now^^
That said, as little miss M grows and becomes more independent (at just turned 19 months, she is definitely a proper toddler, wants to do things herself and her language is picking up heaps!) - I can see myself craving that little newbie baby in a few months time and getting baby fever haha
I'll pass probation at the new job in 6 weeks and hubby in 5 months so will feel more safe to wait TTC until DH's contract is made permanent after that. I'll be 38 by then though and I feel like that is way past the timeline I'd have liked, when back when I started TTC for #1 10+ years ago (I wanted to be fully DONE before 35..ha!).
And am SO torn on when best to have a bub so that they have the best balance of age to start school (Jan-April ....but if it's a boy they mature later so it'd be best he starts school at a later age, which dictates when it be best for him to be born i.e. August-Dec!) vs my desire to NOT be heavily pregnant in Nov-Feb which are the warmest months *here* how to get your head in knots over nothing LOL

[treens]

Me too I was going through withdrawal not being able to be on!

I hope you all feel better and have the time you need to prep for your little boy :)

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes just want to give a big shout out to the site owner for getting us up and running again - very much appreciated!

Hey, keep in mind I had my baby boy at 39!

It's so hard to know when to go for it and then the school timing really does add a wrinkle, doesn't it!!

Just follow your gut and do what's best for your family first and foremost!

[LMSM]

Me too I was going through withdrawal not being able to be on!

I hope you all feel better and have the time you need to prep for your little boy :)

Thanks for checking in Treens - you are so sweet!
How are feeling right now?

[LMSM]

Yes just want to give a big shout out to the site owner for getting us up and running again - very much appreciated!

Hey, keep in mind I had my baby boy at 39!

It's so hard to know when to go for it and then the school timing really does add a wrinkle, doesn't it!!

Just follow your gut and do what's best for your family first and foremost!

I feel silly for getting my head in knots over something as stupid as to when to TTC - I feel like it's probably best to just give myself a "no earlier than" TTC date and see what comes - I mean, we may try for months and months and then my trying to control the timeline would be a moot point anyways LOL
And yes, don't worry...I am past caring about age (too much) since the whole "being done before 35" boast has long sailed! I just find it ironic that when I started TTC at 25 (only had #1 at over 28) I was adamant 35 was my limit, that I wanted a boy first and preferably a majority of boys, if not only boys = here I am considering a 5h child, with 4 daughters in tow LOL
Life has a way of throwing a spanner in the works - which doesn't line up well with my desire to control, well, life ^^

[treens]

I am feeling well. Just trying to stay super positive and grateful for all the good things in life :)

It's funny how we think an age is so old and when we get there it doesn't seem old. I am going to stay young at heart and mind LOL because i cant stop ageing lol. Also I had my boy at 41, so again you can get yours too!

[atomic sagebrush]

I am feeling well. Just trying to stay super positive and grateful for all the good things in life :)

It's funny how we think an age is so old and when we get there it doesn't seem old. I am going to stay young at heart and mind LOL because i cant stop ageing lol. Also I had my boy at 41, so again you can get yours too!

You will feel exactly the same even in your 50's! The best is yet to come!

[LMSM]

I agree! I definitely do not feel old like I thought I would / the way I perceived "old" was when I was younger haha
I at times have to remind myself that I am close to 40 - not some 20-year-old spring chicken :P seeing my not-so-taunt and somewhat fattish face on a big screen during a work Teams meeting yesterday did remind me very well, though LOL

I am tossing a few questions in my head - and if you've already answered them (sorry!), please tell feel free to tell me to do a better search on my own old posts LOL

So - still getting crap sleep - I think miss M is teething those 2-y molars so probably not going to get relief from that just yet. It is HARD for me to exercise because I am exhausted, though of course once I am done with a session, I feel refreshed so I do want to keep it up.

1) SLEEP/NURSING - I am still nursing my boobie monster (19m.o atm) & admittedly am over it - BUT I don't want to be mean and go cold turkey - after a day away from each other, she misses mummy and wants nothing but to climb on my lap once we're back home and nurse, and then wants to latch all nigh too (am DEAD! it's worse than a newborn I swear).
My plan is to look at weaning her verrry gradually in the hope that she will be more inclined to sleep (and to let ME sleep!) between now and Xmas.
--> I know BFing does somewhat sway pink - and I know we shouldn't drop Bfing just because of wanting TTC (and I won't!) - but could it be that there is a sweet spot having weaned for XX time before TTC when swaying blue?

2) EXERCISE - I currently manage 2 shortish sessions of HIIT/weights/week plus our weekend walks. The weather will soon be warm enough here that the plan is to get the kids in the pool most days after I pick them up late afternoon & goof around with them (not truly exercise when you have to mind 4 kids including a non-swimming bub alone lol - but activity nonetheless!).
I do want to up the time for the weight/workouts to up to 30-35minutes (currently 20-25" mainly because I am exhausted and time poor) - am I better off doing say one long session of 30-40 minutes or split it to 2*15/20 sessions on the days I do them? and would 3-4 sessions be better than the 2 I do atm? My gut is telling me to do more, regardless of how tired I am - just to get that push and get some tangible results...

Thanks!

[atomic sagebrush]

We don't have enough data to say. AS a general rule I think the longer you go postpartum, with or without nursing, the more blue friendly you get (within reason of course, after a while your natural settings will take over, I'm referring straight to the effects of pregnacny and nothing beyond that). I'd just roll with it and see how it goes.

RE exercise, either of those options is fine. I would do whichever works better with your schedule any given day. But if you're actually tired, I think pushing yourself too much will not help and may even hurt. If your body is tired, you can't be doing yourself any benefit by pushing even harder. I would do what you can, within reason, without feeling like this is one more thing you have to do in an already too busy life. 2x a week is enough if that's what works the best for you.

[LMSM]

We don't have enough data to say. AS a general rule I think the longer you go postpartum, with or without nursing, the more blue friendly you get (within reason of course, after a while your natural settings will take over, I'm referring straight to the effects of pregnacny and nothing beyond that). I'd just roll with it and see how it goes.

RE exercise, either of those options is fine. I would do whichever works better with your schedule any given day. But if you're actually tired, I think pushing yourself too much will not help and may even hurt. If your body is tired, you can't be doing yourself any benefit by pushing even harder. I would do what you can, within reason, without feeling like this is one more thing you have to do in an already too busy life. 2x a week is enough if that's what works the best for you.

Thanks, that makes sense.
Re the wait PP - I guess I have to try to let go of a date - it's doing my head in anyways haha. The "when will I be ok to start TTC?" minimum is what bugs me - I feel like I should just TTC once I feel like I am overall feeling healthier, stronger, fitter, more energised regardless of the rest provided we feel like we want TTC...but since I don't know when I will feel like that, it's another unknown, and I don't like having no control/an unknown element :P

Re exercise - will go with the flow, though I guess I try to really go for it on the days I have both time and energy - and not try to delve on days I haven't quite gotten to it (don't want to get into that negative, self-bashing mode).
For my own health/stamina, I do think slightly longer and frequent sessions would be good though as I can feel the benefit after the session (during am like a puffing elephant on one leg and no core lol) : dopamine high, and that competitive/feelgood feeling ^^

Overall, the more I read - the more I think I just need to focus on feeling somewhat lighter/fitter and having more protein - then when close TTC go for it with upping cals etc
I think that is where I have "gone wrong" before - wanting to plan too far ahead but possibly, losing the benefit because it was over too long a period and not "intensely" enough - I reckon light touch/steady (not really actively losing weight but looking at losing a bit of fat and building a good base/good habits) for now and then go "all in" 12 weeks prior ttc.

[LMSM]

Also - just stumbled across beef tallow tablets: these are grassfed and no nasties.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Softgel-Capsules-Pasture-Supplement-Farmstead/dp/B094DLD2GL/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1AZB4L3L80JFJ&keywords=beef+tallow&qid=1666677808&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjUzIiwicXNhIjoiMS44NyIsInFzcCI6IjA uMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=heart+support+-+with+coq-10+quercetin+l-carnitine+fumarate+l-arginine+berberine+inositol+magnesium+citrate+%26+ taurine+supports+heart+%26+cardiovascular+health+s upplement+-+90+capsules%2Caps%2C373&sr=8-4
Assume they are ok to take? I probably wouldn't take 6 a day like recommended (I have a regime that will be quite enough things to swallow haha) , just maybe one or two - I thought that was an easy way to up the animal fat etc ;)

[atomic sagebrush]

Keep in mind though that you may have done nothing wrong at all, it's entirely possible you had the best sway it was possible to have, and then just from luck fell into the opposites camp. Or it may have been things that happened all the way back in your teenage years were playing some part and it's just taken a bit longer for you to overcome them than it is the average person. I don't want you to look too hard for what you did "wrong" and look to change things that for all we know may have been helping!

[atomic sagebrush]

Also - just stumbled across beef tallow tablets: these are grassfed and no nasties.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Softgel-Capsules-Pasture-Supplement-Farmstead/dp/B094DLD2GL/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1AZB4L3L80JFJ&keywords=beef+tallow&qid=1666677808&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjUzIiwicXNhIjoiMS44NyIsInFzcCI6IjA uMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=heart+support+-+with+coq-10+quercetin+l-carnitine+fumarate+l-arginine+berberine+inositol+magnesium+citrate+%26+ taurine+supports+heart+%26+cardiovascular+health+s upplement+-+90+capsules%2Caps%2C373&sr=8-4
Assume they are ok to take? I probably wouldn't take 6 a day like recommended (I have a regime that will be quite enough things to swallow haha) , just maybe one or two - I thought that was an easy way to up the animal fat etc ;)

They're fine if you want to try them, altho I have not seen anyone else use them. Totally your call to make!

[LMSM]

Keep in mind though that you may have done nothing wrong at all, it's entirely possible you had the best sway it was possible to have, and then just from luck fell into the opposites camp. Or it may have been things that happened all the way back in your teenage years were playing some part and it's just taken a bit longer for you to overcome them than it is the average person. I don't want you to look too hard for what you did "wrong" and look to change things that for all we know may have been helping!

Don't worry - am fully aware of that and like I may have said previously - not trying to look at the nitty gritty details that may or may not have made any difference.
It's more of an overall direction that I think I may have had in the past that I feel made me lose the benefit of HE/sway to an extent as I tried prepping so far in advance that some things fell on the wayside, no doubt. The outcome may well have been the same, either way - but without wanting to reinvent the wheel, I guess I need to feel good without obsessing, just get into good habits and then go hard in a lead-up close to actual TTC, not like 6-9-12 months ahead or I will lose steam iykwim?

[atomic sagebrush]

It totally makes sense! I just have to give my standard warning about that!!

[LMSM]

It totally makes sense! I just have to give my standard warning about that!!

As always, appreciate it ;)

I think not being TTC now is just doing my head in (kinda just want to get to it - this waiting is tough) - but conversely I am not in the "space" to so either (my youngest is such a difficult sleeper that I cannot fathom the idea of another baby, really, right now). Just ordered a night weaning book off Amazon that has had great reviews = wish me luck with my stubborn babe LOL yesterday, at not 20 m.o started saying "NO WAAAAY" when she disagrees in her cute little voice _ got a feeling that's the response I'll get with this book:tissue::nyd::rofl:

[atomic sagebrush]

That's absolutely precious (spoken as the person who doesn't have to deal with it! :))

[LMSM]

She was actually really cute ! The book talks about how Mummy, Daddy, baby and milkies go to sleep when it’s dark...so she went around the house saying night night to all and everything and crashed in her own bed next to me but without boob..win!
She only stayed there a few hours before joining us but even her middle of the night wake I told her it’s still dark, we all are sleeping..boom, laid down and slept.. the sun gets up at like 4.30am now so she was adamant for boob then onwards but proud of her ;)

[atomic sagebrush]

That's awesome!!! Love it!

[LMSM]

Not expecting it to be easy but it’s definitely encouraging- and so darn cute haha
Good thing is it gave me and DH a but of alone time - just post O atm and trying to test how much stamina I can expect from him for when we do ttc LOL

[atomic sagebrush]

Ha ha yes that's always a good thing to "test out" isn't it! ;)

[LMSM]

Hi Atomic (and others),

I’m trying to put together menus/items to prep to make it easier for me to ensure I hit my targets of protein (and fat) especially.
An easy way to boost a recipe would be nuts – including PB: is it worth even looking at PB powder as it has less fat?
Tru-Nut Powdered Peanut Butter, 454g : Amazon.com.au: Pantry Food & Drinks
Obviously, not wanting to get all my protein/fat from nuts (just to be clear)- but it ups the nutritional profile of anything I suppose ^^

It’s a tough balance to strike as my eldest daughter has weight issues (she is borderline obese :( ) and I don’t want to go overboard with HE for her sake (yes, I can keep some items for me but overall, it is easier if what I make caters to the whole family as much as possible and she unfortunately also seeks out all and any food she can find so hiding/keeping separate can backfire).
The PB powder was a good option for her to enjoy a PB dip (when powder is mixed with some water) with her fruit for instance but I don’t want to single out things “for her” so she is self-conscious IYKWIM?
HE is a healthy lifestyle for us to have as a family anyways IF I can manage to keep carbs in control – but admittedly, like most kids, my kids will need a fair bit to keep full and that’s what they go for too (they’d have cheesy pasta every night tbh LOL) ..ideas???
I can’t serve them a huge steak each every night ( I tend to prep meals in advance because work so means they are one pot deals often) – so lots of the meals kinda need to be smaller portion meat (mince beef, diced chicken etc) and I worry that’s where I am failing HE…can’t get the big quantities of protein I’d like via actual meat (and especially red meat).
If we go out I do order steak or brisket beef / beef burger etc (as opposed to my previous chicken, fish or veg options) but that obviously is only once in a while.

Also – DH said the other day he’d like to start running and I am here going “NOOOOOO,don’t!!!” … I don’t want his balls bouncing for an hour at a time like that (he’d not go every day but still). I’m not sure how to encourage weight type of activity instead of the running TBH other than his new boss is similar aged and really buff (ex- police, who goes to gym every morning lol)…how the F*ck to tell him I’d like buff over long and lean without sounding creepy about his boss?? LOL

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes peanut butter powder is fine as long as you're using it as a part of an overall healthy diet and getting more of your fat and protein from animal sources.

I understand completely re having to have certain food criteria just based on your family's needs. Totally fine to adjust that as you need - keep in mind that more fruit and veg is a part of HE too and you really don't HAVE to buy much in the way of carbs, which can be an improvement overall. Dairy, lean meat, fruit and veg, hard boiled eggs, nuts - those are all super healthy options on HE Diet. I would err on the side of not having the fruit juice and focusing on tomato juice instead, it's so much lower cal. Same with dry fruit and banana - you don't need them and they're basically "nature's candy".

Keep in mind too that it's ok not to ever get up to the sky high levels some do on HE Diet. All you need to do is have more protein than you normally do. If you normally eat 60 g, even just getting up to 70 is fine. You do not need to get up to 120! That is not a failure at all. When I got my boys, I had many days where I would eat primarily vegetarian. With my last two boys, I would have my nuts or cheese + orange breakfast (with tea), a midmorning snack at work (usually green tea and a granola or chocolate bar) then lunch was often fully vegetarian - cheese sandwich, baked potato, bagel, egg taco, bean and cheese burrito, avocado and salsa with a few chips. Then for dinner, only then would I have meat, and probably 2-4 times a week we'd do something vegetarian like burritos or baked beans + mac and cheese, or fried potato and eggs, fried rice, grilled cheese, that sort of thing. Then my bedtime snack was cereal with full fat milk or yogurt with berries. With my first two, we were broke and eating even MORE vegetarian (and with my oldest boy I would skip meals and often only ate one meat sandwich a day - without any other meals because I was working at a roast beef restaurant then) So I'd skip breakfast, eat at work, and often skip dinner or just have cereal. The 90-120 g protein is a goal but you don't have to hit it, as long as you're eating MORE than you were.

I would let drop that men lose muscle as they age and jogging may actually make that worse. And jogging is really really prone to causing injuries - I actually discourage my pink swayers from jogging if they don't do it already because they so often end up injured.
The truth is too, jogging is pretty unpleasant so even if he starts doing it, he may very well not stick with it - so it may be one of those "wait and see" type of things!

[LMSM]

Thanks Atomic!

Juice and processed stuff is a treat here anyways, not an every day thing anyhow - so we don't get stuff like juice more than say once a month at most (and between 6 of us, a bottle = 1 breakfast haha)
I guess it's just trying to up the veg (and meat) rather than having the carbs being the "fillers" - but my kids can be tricky to feed veg to (they love salad, but will frown at broccoli & co).
I guess I will continue what we've done so far, just restrict my own carbs and replace more of them with leafy greens to fill me up as I want to ensure I get better balance of nutrients and less "empty" foods (I love my carbs and have for as long as I can remember used them to be my main source of calories/fill me up) ;) that way DD1 isn't singled out, we all eat the same, just different proportions of the same things?!
When I can't get protein via meat - I now mix veg/salad with a good portion of haloumi or fresh buffala mozzarella (each serve is a good 20-25g of protein and has fat too - which is obviously animal source) so that I can still get carb/protein (animal source ideally) ;)
Like you mentioned, the main meal is the one where we are all together at home as a family so dinner is where I usually get a portion of meat (and 50% of times, in leftovers for lunch the next day ^^) - will try to not overthink it but my brain is always going when I prep food or eat it "is that enough protein? did you get animal fat? that's just pure carbs, where's your protein?? your veg??" LOL yesterday at the office, I was starving mid-afternoon, only had a banana (lovingly packed by hubby) so was racking my brain as to what protein I could add...ding ding, had some almonds left so got 5-6 almonds with it and it did the trick. Nuts really are the magic thing to add to anything haha

Re hubby - like you say, running is not pleasant per se - and I doubt he would keep it up - and TBH he hasn't taken it up since mentioning it - so will maybe have to find a nice but sneaky way of indeed dropping a line around the aging/sagging/muscle loss and wanting to help his body hold up so to speak haha he is 44 so no spring chicken! :P

[atomic sagebrush]

All of that sounds fantastic to me!! Keep up the good work!

[LMSM]

Just looking at healthier sweetener options - in my supermarket can get molasses:
- Sugar cane based
- Date based
or
_ Pomegranate based

Assume all are ok but the pomegranate one would be best from a nutrient stand-point? Any thoughts?

Thanks! :)

[LMSM]

I already use date or coconut syrup when I can instead of honey or sugar but wanting to switch it up if possible ^^

[atomic sagebrush]

I think that the slight differences between the three are really just basically your preference. They're really three different things with different applications, all have slightly different nutritional profiles, so I would just use whichever (or more than one) that you happen to prefer. Date molasses I believe has a lower GI, the pomegranate molasses is tangier, then regular molasses has more of the molasses flavor that we're used to. Totally up to you!

[LMSM]

I think that the slight differences between the three are really just basically your preference. They're really three different things with different applications, all have slightly different nutritional profiles, so I would just use whichever (or more than one) that you happen to prefer. Date molasses I believe has a lower GI, the pomegranate molasses is tangier, then regular molasses has more of the molasses flavor that we're used to. Totally up to you!

Thanks! Will have to check the actual bottles when in the shop as online there is no nutritional info - was just trying to get the one that gives me the most nutritional bang for my buck :P

[LMSM]

HI!

Ok - we've now booked tickets to go back to visit family in Europe in JUly/August next year so I've tentatively set myself the goal TTC while we are there. Just need to tell DH that's the plan LOL
I figure, we likely will be relaxed as on holidays, eating-a-plenty (French food), might be able to drop a kid, 2, or even 4 with grandparents here and there so could get some BD in... it'll be summer, warm, lots of vit D etc
If I get pregnant then, it'd give me a DD of late April- mid May depending on cycles so a great time of year (here in Australia, that is) to be super pregnant ^^

Which means - the plan is to sway hardcore about a good 8 weeks prior to departure (that is the thing that worries me...jetlag and messing my cycle/body, though...there's an 8-hour time difference at that time of year) so can get 8-10 or 12 weeks of 110% sway in (as in, upping cals a bit with more fat and protein).
The goal is still do a lighter sway (as in holding steady weight, gaining muscle/reducing bodyfat by having a good overall regime of diet and exercise) up until then - and adding supps for both of us 3/4 months prior to departure (as in, having the full suite, not just the basics).

How does that sound?

[atomic sagebrush]

That sounds FANTASTIC!!! I would honestly not even worry about jet lag and all the rest of it. A lot of people get their desired gender on holiday - something about getting into a new groove even for a short time seems like it works more often than not. Your timeline of when to do the basic vs. full on sway makes perfect sense too - the groundwork will be laid, and then you can just build on that.

[LMSM]

Thanks Atomic!
I know it sounds silly - but dreamt last night that I got Sneak Peek results back saying BLUE! so I feel it's my body's way of saying - "yup, let's do this, we WILL get our boy!" - because I have been terrified of an opposite so feel like it's the mental block gone haha

[atomic sagebrush]

That's great!! I love encouraging dreams. I had a dream I remember vividly from that time - I dreamed my husband and the two oldest were renovating the house and there was all this lumber and power tools everywhere (my husband is always renovating something and well, er, spending every dime we have on it) and my third son and a fourth boy I hadn't even HAD at that time were toddling around in the midst of it all. Then, off in the corner, back behind all the wood and tools and craziness, I could see her! My brain was like "Kristin you must push through all this and you WILL get to her in the end!" Typically I'm not a person for prophetic dreams at all but it was just so vivid and it really did come down to me having to ignore all the chaos and going for it! :)

I'm so excited for you!!!

[LMSM]

That's great!! I love encouraging dreams. I had a dream I remember vividly from that time - I dreamed my husband and the two oldest were renovating the house and there was all this lumber and power tools everywhere (my husband is always renovating something and well, er, spending every dime we have on it) and my third son and a fourth boy I hadn't even HAD at that time were toddling around in the midst of it all. Then, off in the corner, back behind all the wood and tools and craziness, I could see her! My brain was like "Kristin you must push through all this and you WILL get to her in the end!" Typically I'm not a person for prophetic dreams at all but it was just so vivid and it really did come down to me having to ignore all the chaos and going for it! :)

I'm so excited for you!!!

Oh that just gave me the goosebumps!!! Like you, am truly a no "non-sense/voodoo magic" / "only believe what I see" kinda person - but that is just WILD!
I dreamt we were having a dinner with kids and fam, and I got the results email - and had a brief look (I would never read emails while at the table normally but guess I was eager to see if results were in haha): seeing the disbelief on my face, DH just winked/smiled at me.
It felt like he validated it too, which seems super goofy but it felt like I was at peace because this wave of " hang on tight, it WILL happen, just you wait and see"
So silly really as it is just a dream but have felt super pumped since then haha

Also feel like am making progress with my eldest DD - having an ADHD assessment done in a couple of weeks - and feel like if we can be more at peace with all that's going with her, we will be - as a family too - more of in a better place to welcome a new baby / boy.

[atomic sagebrush]

In context it's even weirder because I've put so much on hold and even set it aside totally while my husband renovates things, built our house, etc etc that it really did have a deep personal meaning.

I hope you get the help you're looking for with your DD - and that some maturity will really help in a few months too! Some of my kids' temperaments just would improve like flipping a switch sometimes, just when they got old enough!

[LMSM]

In context it's even weirder because I've put so much on hold and even set it aside totally while my husband renovates things, built our house, etc etc that it really did have a deep personal meaning.

I hope you get the help you're looking for with your DD - and that some maturity will really help in a few months too! Some of my kids' temperaments just would improve like flipping a switch sometimes, just when they got old enough!

The fact that DD is somewhat willing to do the assessments is encouraging (poor kid has had it tough at school with lots of bullying so I just want to tease out what is the consequence of dealing with crap at school and what could be do a diagnosis to best help her).
Yesterday they all were so good, it felt SO SO good! and DD4 had had 3 nights this week where she slept most of the might in her room/bed so am seeing that it is possible to get back to a routine where we all feel more refreshed but also have more peace in the home (chaotic, but more at peace haha)
Like you say, sometimes they grow and mature at what seems the flip of a switch, without anything being done differently otherwise...boom!Today they probably will make it hell for me just to prove me wrong but for now, enjoying the loving, peaceful time ^^

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes! That is what our experience has been too - everything is in stasis, then everything changes overnight! It's so weird! Always just when I feel like I'm good at managing it!

[LMSM]

I know,right!?

As we are in the lead-up to the festive season - trying to make the best choices for my upcoming sway:

- FATS: I read a study on mice and their offspring - where some mice were fed high carb diets (had overwhelming majority of girls) vs mice fed only lard (majority of boys). These mice all had the same background prior to changing diets prior to conceiving (change was just only before getting pregnant).
So it got me thinking - should I add lard to the mix? I know you mention it as a good source - I use EVOO (for salads, 3-4 times a week at least) and for some cooking though am trying to move to mainly coconut oil or butter. I do use coconut oil or butter for any baking though. If so, will probably not add it now but when I do my blitz leading up TTC say in May next year (with TTC being July/August)?

- DRINKS: will go for whole fruit juices over any soda - and saw lots of boy mums/ blue swayers that were successful drank red wine. I prefer cider so it's not my natural preference (& for wine, prefer white or rose)...
can I avoid the alcohol and get alcohol free red wines to still be "festive"??
When I am actively TTC, is there a preference? We do not drink much at all usually - but know that over Xmas we will and also when we are visiting fam and friends o/s in July/August next year there WILL be alcohol at every lunch/dinner haha I don't want people suspicious of me being pregnant and getting their pesky comments (5? FIVE??? kids!!) when I am not even pregnant yet :P
I assume there is something in red wine that is beneficial - but is that benefit lost when alcohol is removed?

- GRAINS/SEEDS: I am using a 1/2 teaspoon of chia seeds maybe once or twice a week in my overnight oats. I know you say they may sway blue but to be safe limit them. Is that amount ok?
Also like quinoa as a grain over rice etc - is once a week ok?

Thanks for listening to my seemingly never-ending supply of questions and soul searching haha

[atomic sagebrush]

Lard is certainly ok, but please feel free to eat ANY saturated/healthy fat - butter, coconut oil, and even EVOO are ok, it's really the canola, soy oil, corn oil, margarine, shortening type of stuff it's best to watch out for.

Cider is fine too! alcohol free red wines are great as well. We believe it's the reservatrol, which is present in all sorts of grapey drinks, and the alcohol is not necessary. To be honest I am a big soda drinker, always have been, so I can promise that drinking soda pop now and then won't be a dealbreaker either. I think you should just roll with it, if you need to have a drink to keep everyone off your case, on occasion it's not a big deal.

(hint - I had to give up alcohol due to migraines. It never did when I was younger, but at some point I could not even have a single drink without ending up with a pounding headache. It's a great excuse and people don't even think of it when you use it.)

Yep twice a week on the chia seeds and quinoa is a great amount! Not enough to have medicinal effects, but often enough to get the nutritious benefits from them.

It's my pleasure! Thanks for your patience!

[LMSM]

Lard is certainly ok, but please feel free to eat ANY saturated/healthy fat - butter, coconut oil, and even EVOO are ok, it's really the canola, soy oil, corn oil, margarine, shortening type of stuff it's best to watch out for.

Cider is fine too! alcohol free red wines are great as well. We believe it's the reservatrol, which is present in all sorts of grapey drinks, and the alcohol is not necessary. To be honest I am a big soda drinker, always have been, so I can promise that drinking soda pop now and then won't be a dealbreaker either. I think you should just roll with it, if you need to have a drink to keep everyone off your case, on occasion it's not a big deal.

(hint - I had to give up alcohol due to migraines. It never did when I was younger, but at some point I could not even have a single drink without ending up with a pounding headache. It's a great excuse and people don't even think of it when you use it.)

Yep twice a week on the chia seeds and quinoa is a great amount! Not enough to have medicinal effects, but often enough to get the nutritious benefits from them.

It's my pleasure! Thanks for your patience!

Awesome, thanks!

Yes - I'm only using EVOO, butter or coconut oil at this stage so should be ok - will add some lard closer to the actual TTC to mix it up ^^ I'm definitely staying clear of the others, and avoid processed foods as whole unless I can find a healthy/clean option

Great for the drinks - won't stop having a cider here and there, and will give the alcohol- free wine a go over Xmas - if I like it will try when we are on holidays in July to avoid having TOO much alcohol then (people mean well but I know we will be having SO much food and people will want to indulge us with a wine/drink)..
I love me a lemonade, and ever since DD3, has been my go-to drink - I swear when pregnant that was all I could muster as it gave me a bit of calories, the cold bubbles & lemony flavour made my nausea more bearable..DD4 is like 95% lemonade haha
I'll allow myself some here and there but will try to favour more nutrient dense options whether they are sparkling water with a bit of citrus or a proper fruit juice ^^

Thanks re the quinoa & chia seeds - I wasn't sure if that amount was problematic one way or another so can stop worrying about it then ^^

[atomic sagebrush]

Sounds FABULOUS!!!! Wishing you a wonderful holiday season with lots of indulgences!

[LMSM]

Thanks - you too!!! :D
I just feel 2023 will bring me my boy so feeling positive ^^

[atomic sagebrush]

That is GREAT!! Stay positive and keep your eyes on the prize!! Sending you more blue dust than you know what to do with!

[LMSM]

I'll definitely take all the blue dust available haha

Not urgent - you might recall I am finding OPKs do not line up with other symptoms (friskiness, CM etc) - I think mainly because it is hard having a consistent concentration of urine (same time, same amount of water drunk, same hold etc) so I think opks make me question O!
so have ordered some Clearblue dual hormone ovulation sticks (the ones with both the flashing and static smiley).
I know that with classic strip opks, you recommend starting attempts at the first true positive (as dark as control) - but with the CB dual opk, what is best? I know flashing smileys can go on for daaaays..so should we aim for static smiley to begin attempts? (I will still do strip opks in parallel, probably also temping and charting in more detail to see how it all lines up in coming months)
How I wish I had a crystal ball telling me exactly when I would O each cycle so we could plan BDing haha

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes that's generally what I recommend with the Clearblues, waiting for static or solid smiley for attempts. Just keep in mind sometimes that you will go right to solid with no flashies, and have many days of flashy before the solid.

[LMSM]

Cool, I thought that would be the case - yes, I do remember using them the cycle before falling pregnant with DD3 and it went straight from basis to solid! Was the 1st month using it then too which didn't help.

I found a good deal so have managed to buy 6 boxes of 10 tests (6 cycles' worth I think)!! one or two which I will keep for attempt months but will do some testing in the next few months to see how it assesses O vs the opks etc so I can correlate CB/strip opk/symptoms and temps (over planner, me? neveeeer!! LOL)

[atomic sagebrush]

I LIKE to see blue swayers overplanning a little (it's the type of thing pink swayers do as a matter of course!) That having been said, they don't always correlate the way we expect and the patterns can change even in how they seem to relate to each other, so don't get too wrapped up in expecting them to fit neatly into a schedule that stays the same every month!

[LMSM]

Don't worry, I won't get my knickers in a tangle over everything being the same every month...I know it won't be mirror images of a cycle one after the other, anyways !
Just trying to see common patterns - so for instance if pos opk and EWCM *tend* to arrive, say 48h before temp drop and say, 24h before solid smiley... then temp rises day after solid smiley...
so I would be able to know when the fertile window *tends* to open on average compared to the different tests/symptoms etc so less chance of getting caught out and missing the window! even if my cycle duration and CD on which I O vary, I should feel confident about the fertile window regardless ^^

I've ALWAYS been an over planner - I think I just don't like not knowing what comes next - so I always as far as I can remember, even as a young child...have tried to pre-empt/plan/anticipate how things would go even if I had no control over them, and boy oh boy if they could be controlled even a bit, then I took the chance to do so haha
And checking my cycles is one thing I CAN do - not control obviously - but have some sort of visibility over so you bet I am trying LOL
I have tried very very hard to get into the mindset of not obsessing over what I cannot have any control over though and to just trust fate in a way when it comes to those things (and it's been tough!).

[atomic sagebrush]

Being an overplanner is GREAT for blue, we just need to make sure that it doesn't start to feel defeating/overwhelming! You're doing GREAT!

[LMSM]

Happy New year everyone!!

I'm definitely feeling positive, so not defeated at all!
Nervous? yes! but not defeated, so am happy about that ;)

New cycle starting today and even if we had a hiatus for a week with BD as I got really sick just after Xmas, we've otherwise kept a good every 2-3 days BD pattern, even post O,which is good ;) shows that we can do it - and being on holidays when we TTC, should hopefully be able to keep that up.
Will be sure to have hubby empty those pipes often enough in the next 6 months so he's definitely able to do it when the important time comes haha
Though - speaking of stamina/energy:

Having been sick on our Xmas/summer break - makes me wonder - since I seem to get sick every time I have a break from work: I really would like to avoid getting ill when o/s in July/August and TTC.
Being on a plane/aircon/close proximity to other people etc is obviously conducive to catching virus/picking up germs etc - so want to be able to boost my immune system as best as possible. I think we will get our flu shots in April ish (which is before winter starts here in June).
If I take my multi/ probiotics/extra D & folate /Cq10/ iron (as I need that extra due to deficiency - 100mg EOD) in the lead-up to our trip - would there be anything else you'd recommend to avoid any of us getting sick?
I would like to avoid DH getting ill too obviously... I will have him on multi/ probiotics/ L arginine + carnitine / Cq10

I will be eating lots of our blood oranges (they should be in full season by then or in the lead up at least) and drinking lemon water with juice from our lemons from now onwards - so I'd be getting a fair chunk of vit C.

Also - I've now decided I want to wean miss#4 soonish as it's getting to be too much for me - she is 22 months old today so hoping to have her fully weaned by her 2nd birthday (we've managed to night wean fairly easily over a couple of weeks, a month ish ago)... I hope that will allow me a bit more stamina/energy as she's hung on me when we are together otherwise.
I love the closeness but also keen to get my body back to myself a bit before TTC and sharing it again (if and when we are blessed with a new pregnancy!).

[atomic sagebrush]

Fabulous!!! Once you get into the pattern it becomes second nature and hubby starts to notice if a day gets skipped, LOL.

Sadly, there is no magic pill to take to avoid illness. It's all about the germs. You're already doing what you can to be in excellent health and I would just carry on doing exactly that. None of the "magic" cures/preventatives for illness really work. I would not have you add in anything like elderberry or super high doses of zinc as they may cause more harm than good.

I hope weaning goes smoothly!!!!

[LMSM]

Thanks - won't try to add anything else to the regime then ^^

You're right - DH may indeed notice if we skip a day...that'd be ideal in fact, would mean it's just the "normal" :P
It is just easy to slip into the previous routine with less frequent BD (thanks kids/tiredness!). So getting BD in the evening as soon as kids are in bed/ early AM before they wake up = key in our case to get it in LOL
My only concern with TTC will be that I think at my parents we will be sharing a room with all of them so may have to send them off to their grandparents to get the attempts in :P

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh yikes, yes we need a little help from grandparents to make the magic happen!

I agree completely about changing up the timing having an entirely different result. Most women, and some men are just SO tired at the end of the day it is the last thing on our/their minds. A change in schedule can make all the difference in the world!

[LMSM]

Oh yikes, yes we need a little help from grandparents to make the magic happen!

I agree completely about changing up the timing having an entirely different result. Most women, and some men are just SO tired at the end of the day it is the last thing on our/their minds. A change in schedule can make all the difference in the world!

You better believe I am looking at our options so we can have some quiet time for BD in our schedule while on holidays haha!
If only I knew already when in my cycle I will be when we are there, I could be super organised...that said, spontaneous BD when we can is probably just as good (maybe even better!) and on all levels (not just TTC) :P
Now, how to tell my kids they need quality time with grandparents and grandparents with them without sounding weird that *I* need quality time with *DH*?! LOL

[AmyRose]

Hiya, I am a mum to 3 wonderful boys who were all conceived naturally before I found gender dreaming and swayed for my little girl, my sway worked so I could definitely see the differences, when I fell for my boys we dtd every day as soon as my monthly finished, I fell first month every time, I also took pregnancy vitamins, regular meals, snacked lots, no caffeine, no tea or coffee I was also heavier, When I swayed and fell for my daughter myself and my husband only dtd once and I fell 2nd month with this method, my diet changed massively, I lost weight, and I also am now a coffee drinker(happy little coincidence) so when I swayed and fell I was drinking coffee every day, I also dropped parentals, I felt the biggest factors for me were diet and coffee with no vitamins these were the biggest changes. I wish you all the luck with your sway, little boys are just tremendous!

[LMSM]

Hiya, I am a mum to 3 wonderful boys who were all conceived naturally before I found gender dreaming and swayed for my little girl, my sway worked so I could definitely see the differences, when I fell for my boys we dtd every day as soon as my monthly finished, I fell first month every time, I also took pregnancy vitamins, regular meals, snacked lots, no caffeine, no tea or coffee I was also heavier, When I swayed and fell for my daughter myself and my husband only dtd once and I fell 2nd month with this method, my diet changed massively, I lost weight, and I also am now a coffee drinker(happy little coincidence) so when I swayed and fell I was drinking coffee every day, I also dropped parentals, I felt the biggest factors for me were diet and coffee with no vitamins these were the biggest changes. I wish you all the luck with your sway, little boys are just tremendous!

Thank you!!
It certainly seems like the sway worked like a charm for you! ;) I will definitely take any blue dust hehe so hoping that luck falls on my side, this time - with my very very very last sway ;)

[AmyRose]

Sending you blue dust, good luck :DS:

[LMSM]

Sending you blue dust, good luck :DS:

Thank you so much :D

[LMSM]

It's me again - Atomic, I will go buy a plan in the coming weeks... is the personalised blue bundle the best to have the bespoke info etc?
I've had a change of circumstances - i.e am about to have surgery that will impact my eating (will eat low fibre/soups etc for a number of weeks) and my ability to exercise quite a bit for the next good 2 months (will virtually not be able to lift or move much for a good 6 weeks)... so need to think up the best possible plan to maximise my chances of blue still as by the end of it (provided recovery goes well and no complications) I will be 3 months ish from TTC max (hoping the surgeon will clear me to have another baby too :nails: ).

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes you'd want the personalized plan!

So sorry to hear about the surgery, but it may very well be that because you've had a bit of a physical setback and can then over time come back from that, that your body will see that as an improving condition. Just think of this as God/the universe's way of helping us out with your sway! Wishing you a speedy recovery!

What you should do is not worry about anything till your recovery is complete, and we can sway at that time. Do continue with supplements inasmuch as you're able to but for the recovery period you should just focus on doing what you need to do to get through the situation.

[LMSM]

Yes you'd want the personalized plan!

So sorry to hear about the surgery, but it may very well be that because you've had a bit of a physical setback and can then over time come back from that, that your body will see that as an improving condition. Just think of this as God/the universe's way of helping us out with your sway! Wishing you a speedy recovery!

What you should do is not worry about anything till your recovery is complete, and we can sway at that time. Do continue with supplements inasmuch as you're able to but for the recovery period you should just focus on doing what you need to do to get through the situation.

Awesome, thanks - will be back post surgery to buy the plan then :) Surgery is on the 23rd so will get in touch early March once I am hopefully feeling less in agony (the post op recovery is apparently excruciating so yay! NOT).
I am keeping all I can crossed that the Dr doesn't advise against a new pregnancy and that if he is ok with it that it'd be ok to conceive 6 months ish after the op so I can stick to my plan :P

I will keep the multi for now - but nothing else until after recovery (especially fish oil to avoid blood issues).

Thanks for the perspective - I haven't seen the whole "declining condition then improved condition just prior TTC" aspect so am keeping positive :)

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh gosh so sorry to hear that is looming on the horizon for you! I'm hoping that it's not true for you and you breeze through easily.

and YES please stay off the fish oil and anything else that may be blood thinning!

Keep us posted how you're getting along and let me know if you need anything!

[LMSM]

I'm baaaack!
I just had my post op appointment with the surgeon - I asked, and he doesn't see any reason why I couldn't have another pregnancy... yeah!!!! :D
Following the op, I have lost a couple of kilos, and can't yet lift for another 3 weeks so will try to start some light exercise that doesn't require squats or lifting for now (oh golly do I feel flabbly LOL). Will look into women's physiotherapist sessions too to get my PF and core as strong as possible too.

With all that said, since I CAN envisage TTC - I will try to go and buy the personalised plan in the coming days - just need to pop $ in my Paypal account ^^ so excited!!
(you may get a message from me Atomic, if my own non-tech savvy self somehow can't figure things out haha)

[treens]

Welcome back! Wishing you all the best!

[atomic sagebrush]

Hey, just focus on getting better for now, the exercise will be there when you're fully healed.

Just let me know when you've got the plan and I'll get it done ASAP!

[LMSM]

Welcome back! Wishing you all the best!

Thanks! I've got all my toes and fingers crossed for you that this THE month for you x

[LMSM]

Hey, just focus on getting better for now, the exercise will be there when you're fully healed.

Just let me know when you've got the plan and I'll get it done ASAP!

Awesome, thanks :)
I will likely get the $ onto the account by the end of the WE then will be in touch hopefully early next week ^^

[atomic sagebrush]

Ok! I'll be on the lookout!

[LMSM]

Payment for the blue ttc bundle just done (took forever for the $ to come through on my PP account, sorry!) - now I am not too sure what next but will be guided by you when you have a moment ^^
Thanks in advance (eep!!excited!)

[atomic sagebrush]

Can you access the blue plan questionnaires here: https://www.genderdreaming.com/forum/misc.php?do=forms

[LMSM]

Hi Atomic,
I must be having a senior blonde moment - the forms I see only have the option to put down details of attempts etc so not sure what I should write if this is indeed the form? (https://www.genderdreaming.com/forum/misc.php?do=form&fid=14)
The other forms are for GS IVF?

[atomic sagebrush]

No that's the add your sway form. The custom plan form is supposed to be accessible for you when you pay. That's supposed to happen automatically for people who are members like you are. I'm assuming there's a technical glitch. I'll message the site owner to get that fixed, but that doesn't always happen as quickly as we'd like. In the meantime go ahead and message me at atomicsagebrush@gmail.com with any germane information you think is important. I already "know" you pretty well but having all the info in one spot is super helpful to me getting the plan done.

[LMSM]

Thanks! Thought it looked odd haha
Glad it’s not just me then :P
Will get started on info and send off to you in the next few days !

[atomic sagebrush]

Thanks, I'll be looking for it! Sorry for the inconvenience.

[LMSM]

All good - will get to it now and email you asap
PS; this is what I see when I go onto the link you sent - it still only shows as per what I saw initially (just in case it is just me not seeing the form even though it might be there haha ;) )
43765

[LMSM]

Email just sent Atomic :)

[atomic sagebrush]

I completely believe you, and I am happy to help via email instead! I have your message and will get right to it!

[LMSM]

Hi all!
About to go on our trip to visit our family - and hopefully will have our attempts mid August.
Last call for any advice? Tried and true tips for conceiving a boy??
I will happily give allllll my pink dust for any blue you can spare too :P

[treens]

Best of luck to you!
I believe what has worked for me.
Don't go hungry eat small amounts every 2-3 hours
Don't miss breakfast eat things like oatmeal I ate oatmeal every morning or eggs and toast lol

Over all try stay relaxed have a safe and wonderful trip!

[LMSM]

Best of luck to you!
I believe what has worked for me.
Don't go hungry eat small amounts every 2-3 hours
Don't miss breakfast eat things like oatmeal I ate oatmeal every morning or eggs and toast lol

Over all try stay relaxed have a safe and wonderful trip!

Thanks Treens!! That's what I am trying to do - it will be easier once we are in France/in holiday mode too :)

I will try to log in regularly to see where you are at :D

[Ttc-blue]

Hi LMSM,

Just came here to say all the best wishes for your sway! I just had an ultrasound confirming boy (and my NIPT) also confirmed boy so my sway worked.

I second what Treens said about eating and oatmeal/porridge. I think I also had 2 eggs every other day (never had that many eggs in my life before). I had porridge with a bit of peanut butter. Another thing was that I did the coconut water blitz just before conceiving and also had a bit of guanafessin (sp?).
I ensured I had 3 attempts once I saw posOpk - even when it was unexpectedly positive and hubby had released the day before.

Ohh and I had probiotics regularly and 2200mcg folic acid, I was a bit lax with multivitamins and Vit D but tried my best.

If I remember something else I will post here.

Good luck x

[LMSM]

Hi LMSM,

Just came here to say all the best wishes for your sway! I just had an ultrasound confirming boy (and my NIPT) also confirmed boy so my sway worked.

I second what Treens said about eating and oatmeal/porridge. I think I also had 2 eggs every other day (never had that many eggs in my life before). I had porridge with a bit of peanut butter. Another thing was that I did the coconut water blitz just before conceiving and also had a bit of guanafessin (sp?).
I ensured I had 3 attempts once I saw posOpk - even when it was unexpectedly positive and hubby had released the day before.

Ohh and I had probiotics regularly and 2200mcg folic acid, I was a bit lax with multivitamins and Vit D but tried my best.

If I remember something else I will post here.

Good luck x

Congrats again! It's so good to see so many successful blue sways of late - there may not be many blue swayers, but stats are good this year :D

It must have been surreal to see a penis on that ultrasound screen (even with the NIPT results already known) :D

Thanks for your encouragement and advice - appreciate it ^^
Did you do much by way of exercise? are you usually muscular?

[Ttc-blue]

Congrats again! It's so good to see so many successful blue sways of late - there may not be many blue swayers, but stats are good this year :D

It must have been surreal to see a penis on that ultrasound screen (even with the NIPT results already known) :D

Thanks for your encouragement and advice - appreciate it ^^
Did you do much by way of exercise? are you usually muscular?

Thank you 😊 After NIPT result I still couldn’t believe it (I know silly of me but I kept thinking maybe it’s someone else’s result or like my ultrasound will show girl for some reason…but at the ultrasound baby made it clear that he is all boy).

I really struggled to do any exercise I average around 6000-7000 steps a day as I drive everywhere and have an office job, I’m a bit of a couch potato (other than the holiday I went to 1.5month before conceiving where I averaged 15,000 steps/day and also did some kayaking so perhaps built some arm muscles). The weight gain mostly was fat and that made me nervous about my sway. I read one of Atomic’s older articles where she writes that stronger arms meant more boys conceived (I think some Nigerian village). Before starting the HE diet in earnest I have always been on the lower BMI side but always fat skinny rather than muscle skinny.

Another thing I should say might have helped is that I did BD unprotected twice after AF but like 2 weeks before I actually ovulated (my daughter got sick so I couldn’t BD unprotected the 2 weeks leading up to ovulation which I thought was also a bit worrisome, but had DH release every 2-4 days).

My sway wasn’t perfect but the odds were in my favour and the advice I got from everyone, including you and Atomic, was invaluable in me tipping the scale of probability to my side. I was very stressed during the OPk time as it was unexpected and I really wanted to conceive, not sure how (and if) that played a role. I was quite stressed when I conceived my DD as well…

Wishing you lots of blue dust and my prayers are with you.